By Andi Abdusslam
Jakarta, April 22 (ANTARA) - The central board of Golkar decided on Wednesday to terminate its political talks with the Democratic Party (PD) after they failed to reach an accord on how to form a coalition in the face of the upcoming July 9 presidential elections.
The decision, which was announced by Golkar Party Secretary General Sumarsono, came up only one day before the former New Order government's political machine holds a special national leadership meeting.
The special leadership meeting is expected to discuss options whether Golkar is to propose one or more names to pair up with PD presidential hopeful Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), or to name its own presidential candidate or to coalesce with other political parties.
So far, the mainstream in the Golkar Party's central board is willing to coalesce with Yudhoyono's Democratic Party while some regional branch executives and certain senior cadres voiced aspirations that Golkar should nominate its own presidential hopeful.
Surprisingly, however, the central executive board announced on Wednesday its decision --though it will still be discussed further in the special leadership meeting-- to stop its coalition deals with the PD. It said that its recent political communications with the PD had failed to yield any accord towards a coalition.
"After a week of intensive political communications on continuing the SBY-JK (Jusuf Kalla) government between Golkar and PD, the two parties have not been able to find a meeting point to from a coalition," Golkar Secretary General Sumarsono said here on Wednesday.
However, the Democratic Party is of the view that the Golkar decision is unilateral as talks on coalition were still proceeding.
"What we have not agreed on yet is the number of Golkar's vice presidential candidates." Democratic Party associate chairman Anas Urbaningrum said.
Due to the failure of the two parties to find a meeting point to form a coalition, the Golkar central executive board gave the mandate to its chairman Jusuf Kalla to open new political communications with other political parties.
"The central executive board has given the party chairman the mandate to open political communications with other parties on building a strong and effective government," Soemarsono said.
The decision of the central executive board gave Jusuf Kalla a chance to continue Golkar's talks with the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) and other parties other than the Democratic Party.
PDIP in the meantime has expressed its readiness to build new political communications with Golkar. Even the PDI secretary general admitted his party had been in communications with Golkar since Wednesday morning (before Golkar held executive board meeting).
"We will continue our political communications with Golkar," PDIP Secretary General Pramono Anung said at the residence of PDIP leader Megawati Soekarnoputri at Jl Teuku Umar.
Thus, a meeting between Jusuf Kalla and Megawati is likely to be held soon. The two have met sometime before the April 9 legislative elections where both leaders shared the view to establish a strong government.
According to Pramono Anung, the meeting between the two leaders is now being arranged but he ruled out a meeting on Wednesday. "We will not be too reactive," he said.
He said his party was willing to build further communications with Golkar. PDIP appreciated the decision taken by Golkar. But PDIP would still wait for the results of Golkar's special national leadership meeting on Thursday.
Anung admitted he had communicated with Golkar since early on Wednesday. "We have continued to communicate with friends in Golkar since this morning," he added.
The same thing was also expressed by Effendi Simbolon of the PDIP faction in the House of Representatives (DPR). "I think PDIP has expressed its readiness to coalesce with Golkar since the beginning. Kalla and Megawati have even met before," he said in a dialog with MetroTV.
Political analyst Bima Arya Sugiarto said meanwhile that the results of Golkar's special leadership meeting still has to be seen on Thursday. "I think the national leadership meeting will confirmed the executive board decision and offered several options," Bima told MetroTV.
He however warned that it would be a disaster for Golkar if its leadership meeting decided to propose JK to be Megawati's running mate while the PDIP leader turned out to reject the Golkar offer.
In this case, Golkar senior cadre Sarwono Kusumaatmadja said that Golkar should not waver. He said that the Golkar Party should have no doubts in taking a political decision and should not merely think of having power, Sarwono who is also a former Golkar secretary general said.
"If need be, Golkar should become an opposition party," Sarwono said. He said political parties in Indonesia generally thought how to have power in the government. While in fact, becoming an opposition was no less respectable.
Therefore, Sarwono said, Golkar must have the courage to take risks. "If need be, Golkar has to become an opposition and in the coming five years it should carry out improvement and develop their cadres," he said.
While the presidential election is still about two months away there is still a chance for Golkar to make choices. "These are political choices and I think all political parties have their own respective considerations that need to be heeded without necessarily losing their mutual respect," Golkar Party associate chairman Priyo Budi Santoso said.
He said that Golkar opened doors to coalesce with any party. It has not even closed its doors to a resumption of coalition talks with the Democratic Party.
"I would say Golkar has not closed its doors. This is politics in which one can change one's mind any day, any hour or any minute. Who knows there will be another signal from Cikeas," Priyo said referring to President Yudhohono's residence.***1*** (T.014/A/HAJM/21:20/a014)
(T.A014/A/A014/A/A014) 22-04-2009 22:01:16
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