TOMMY RETURNS TO POLITICS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 18 (ANTARA) - Son of former president Soeharto Hutomo Mandala Putra, or Tommy Soeharto, expressed Tuesday his intention to return to Golkar amid efforts of the former New Order government's political machine to seek a new leader that could help regain its past glory.

        "Now is the right time for me to return to politics apart from business. My target is always high even in the political arena," Tommy told reporters, saying he had never dropped his membership in Golkar and therefore as a cadre he had a right to run for the party's general chairmanship.

        Tommy all of a sudden came up to the surface amid Golkar's efforts to seek a new leader to replace Jusuf Kalla, the outgoing vice president. Kalla was named by his party as a presidential candidate in last July presidential election but lost the contest to his boss incumbent President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of the Democrat Party.

        This year, Golkar's popularity is fading after its defeat by the Democrat Party in last April's legislative election. In the 2004 legislative election Golkar was the winner but last April it won only 19.21 percent of the parliamentary seats behind the Democrat Party which won 26.43 percent.

        In last July's presidential race, Golkar's presidential candidate Jusuf Kalla likewise suffered a defeat winning only about 12 percent of the votes, far behind Yudhoyono who grabbed more than 60 percent and Megawati of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) with over 26 percent.

        Amid the business Golkar to prepare names of candidates that would be selected in a Golkar meeting in Riau in October, Tommy's name came up to the surface among Aburizal Bakrie, Surya Paloh, Yuddy Chrisnandi and Ferry Mursyidan Baldan.

        Tommy said after being absent for 10 years in the political field he felt being called to return to Golkar. He said Golkar was the right and most suitable party for him. Tommy admitted that he had a moral responsibility to the party which was developed by his father. In addition to it Tommy also used to become a member of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) from Golkar's Functional Group faction from 1993 to 1998.

        "Until now I am still a Golkar Party member and I still have its membership card," he said. Tommy born on July 15, 1962, said that party elite members had long approached him to return to help develop the party again.

        The functional unit of ulemas of Jakarta, the party's religious wing led by Asraf Ali, had recently predicted that party would choose Tommy as its new leader. Tommy who still leads PT Humpuss expressed concern over the current situation in the country which had been threatened by divisions due to various factors including foreign intervention in many fields.

        According to Golkar Executive Chairman Burhanuddin Napituplu, the Tommy's intention to return to Golkar would instill a new spirit to the party. He told newsmen after a discussion on "Golkar Rises" that there was no prohibition for Tommy Soeharto and members of the Cendana (Soeharto) family to return to Golkar.

        Syamsul Muarif, general chairman of SOKSI, an organization affiliated to Golkar, also said his side would not question the return to Golkar of Tommy and his readiness to take part in the chairmanship race in its National Working Meeting on October 4-7, 2009.

        "There is no problem. Golkar is open to the nomination of any of its cadres for its chairmanship," Syamsul Muarif said.

        Muarif said although there was no problem with his intention to nominate himself, yet Tommy had to meet the requirements set by Golkar Party for its would-be general chairman candidates.

        The requirements included a fact that a would-be candidate should have beem a cadre for at least ten years and have an executive post in Golkar's executive board or in a post one level lower than the executive board.

        Muarif said that each cadre wishing to take part in the race should nominate himself or be nominated in the national meeting by a small team, which will decide whether or not Tommy Soeharto had the right to be nominated for the Golkar general chairmanship.

        In response to Tommy's intention to join the race, candidate Yuddy Chrisnandi said he did not feel Tommy was a threat to him, saying: "I welcome positively Tommy Soeharto's bid." He made the statement a moment after Tommy expressed his readiness to take part in the contest in Golkar's VIIth meeting in Riau in October.

        Yuddy said that Tommy's readiness to return to the party was a good thing both for Golkar and the nation because it would serve as a means for Golkar to prepare its future cadres. If there are many cadres who are ready to become Golkar's general chairmen, it meant that the development of cadres within the Golkar body is running well.

        In the meatime, Aburizal Bakrie, another cadre who is widely tipped to become the next general chairman of Golkar to replace Jusuf Kalla, said he had not yet been informed of Tommy's readiness to take part in the Golkar chairmanship race. "I still don't know about it," he said.

        He said that the nomination and the election of a general chairman was in the hands of regional branches which would decide it in a national working meeting. "Matters regarding the election of the general chairman are in the hands of regional branches," he said.

        However, a chairman of a Golkar regional branch for Gorontalo, Fadel Muhammad said he had doubts about Tommy's intention to compete in the Golkar chairmanship contest. Fadel who is also Gorontalo governor, said he was still gathering information on the issue.

        "I have checked it with several sources but I could not find that Tommy had an intention to join the race," he said in a text message to ANTARA.***1*** (T.A014/a/H-NG/a014) (T.A014/A/A014/A/A014) 18-08-2009 23:38:07