Jakarta, Nov 27 (Antara) - A political observer warned on Thursday that
the internal conflict within the Golkar Party could create a breakaway
faction if it continued to escalate.
"If Golkar does not act wisely and accommodate its cadres' aspirations
in the run-up to its congress, it will be abandoned by them," political
observer Ahmad Atang of the University of Muhammadiyah in Kupang, East
Nusa Tenggara, said on Thursday.
The current rift within the Golkar Party, which is the second largest
seat holder in the legislature, will most likely create a breakaway
faction. It will lead to the formation of a new political party after
its national congress in Bali on November 30, Atang stated.
"The new party will most likely be set up by cadres who felt sidelined,
a similar scenario that took place in the cases of Surya Paloh,
Wiranto, and Prabowo Subianto," he added.
The central executive board meeting of the Golkar Party early this week
was marred by clashes, following the emergence of two camps that had a
difference of opinion regarding the date of the next congress.
While one camp agreed to the decision taken at a Golkar leadership
meeting in Riau to hold the congress in January 2015, the other demanded
that the meeting be held on November 30, as discussed at a leadership
meeting in Yoyakarta.
Members of the youth wing of Golkar (AMPG) stormed into the board
meeting in Jakarta on Monday evening to protest against their attempt to
re-schedule its congress from January 2015, when it was earlier set to
be held, to the end of this month.
The congress will be held
to choose a new leader to succeed Bakrie, who is completing his term of
office and is seeking to be re-elected.
Clashes erupted again on Tuesday between members of the two camps of
the party at its office in Jalan Anggrek Neli Murni, West Jakarta.
The conflicting camps comprise two groups, each claiming to belong to
the AMPG. One side supports Yorrys Raweyai, former chairman of the AMPG
who is opposed to the rescheduling of the congress, and the other one
claims to be the true members of the AMPG.
According to Raweyai, AMPG members were disappointed with the decision
to hold the congress on November 30 in Bali, instead of in January 2015.
Accelerating the congress will leave other candidates with no time to
garner support from cadres in their regions. The members allege that it
was aimed at seeking acclamation for the incumbent general chairman of
Golkar Aburizal Bakrie's re-election.
Tuesday's chaotic executive board plenary meet ended with the formation
of a presidium of Golkar's saviors chaired by Golkar Deputy Chairman
Agung Laksono. The presidium scheduled the congress in January as
opposed to that set by Bakrie's camp on November 30 in Bali.
Members of the presidium included several candidates for the post of
general chairman and cadres who had earlier been fired by Bakrie.
The members were Priyo Budi Santoso, Hajriyanto Y. Thohari, Zainuddin
Amali, Agus Gumiwang, Lauren Siburian, Yorrys Raweyai, Agun Gunandjar,
and Ibnu Munzir.
Hajriyanto Y Thohari later withdrew from the presidium and from his
position as the chairman of the Golkar central executive board due to
his discontent over the inconsistency of both camps.
Thohari noted that he would only be prepared to be nominated as a
general chairman candidate if a compromise was reached between both
camps.
Furthermore, Atang pointed out past experiences of the Golkar Party
when sidelined cadres formed breakaway factions and set up their own
political parties. He cited Surya Paloh, Wiranto, and Prabowo Subianto
as examples.
Paloh launched the National Democratic Party (NasDem), Wiranto formed
the People's Conscience Party (Hanura), and Subianto founded the Great
Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra).
"These splinter parties attracted Golkar's potential cadres," Atang
noted while speaking about the likelihood of a new party breaking away
from the Golkar after its congress.
"It should not happen that the congress this time leads to the birth of
a new party formed by those who feel sidelined. A splinter party can
absorb potential cadres of Golkar," Atang remarked.
National level cadres will unite to form a new party. This will attract
members from regional levels who feel sidelined under Bakrie's
leadership.
According to Atang, facts indicated that such political 'migration'
benefited cadres. Former Golkar cadres Fery Mursidan Baldan, who moved
to NasDem, and Yudi Krisnandi, who joined Hanura, both secured
ministerial positions in Joko Widodo's working cabinet, he pointed out.
One cannot be sure if the two cadres would have gotten the ministerial
posts had they stayed committed to Golkar, Atang added.
Hence, he stated, the Golkar Party, being a senior political party,
should be sensitive to the aspirations of its cadres if it does not want
to be abandoned by them.
He further observed that although the Golkar, with its large number of
capable cadres, created an impression of a solid party, it was not
mature enough to resolve its differences regarding its leadership.
In
response to fears of a split within the political organization, Golkar
Party Deputy Secretary General Nurul Arifin said she was convinced her
party will not split.
"This
conflict will unite us. What is important is that Golkar will not let
itself disintegrate like what the United Development Party (PPP)
experienced. We hope the public supports us. We certainly do not want
the emergence of a Golkar Party of Struggle," Arifin noted.
Moreover, Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who is a former Golkar general
chairman, expressed hope that the current conflict will not split the
former new order government's political machine.
During a meeting with Agung Laksono on Thursday, Kalla also wished for
the two conflicting parties to seek a middle ground to resolve the
problem democratically. He also does not want the involvement of any
form of intimidation and intervention that will hinder the democratic
process.
"It
would be better for Golkar to seek a middle ground. I believe it could
be accepted by both sides. There should be no intimidation and
intervention from any party," he emphasized.
***1***
(T.A014/INE)
EDITED BY INE
(T.A014/A/BESSR/A. Abdussalam) 27-11-2014 23:08: |
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar