Golkar’s split from the Democratic PartyGolkar looks the other way
Dicky Christanto and Adianto Simamora , THE JAKARTA POST , JAKARTA | Fri, 04/24/2009 9:30 AM | Headlines
Kalla for President?: Golkar Party chief Jusuf Kalla (center) leaves Hotel Borobudur, Jakarta, on Thursday after attending a national party leadership meeting which endorsed him to run for president in July. JP/R. Berto Wedhatama
Coming out beaming from the Golkar Party's leaders' meeting, chairman and new presidential candidate Jusuf Kalla immediately headed for evening talks with his main potential ally — the PDI-P.
As of late Thursday, however, there was no knowing whether the July presidential election would be a two- or three-horse race, as Kalla and the leaders of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) only said Kalla and PDI-P chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri would meet in private on Friday.
While the Golkar leaders' meeting decided to nominate Kalla for president, the PDI-P has endorsed Megawati for president.
The two will spend “quality time so they can discuss the nation's priorities” on Friday, said Megawati’s husband and the PDI-P’s main adviser, Taufik Kiemas, after meeting with Kalla at the latter’s residence.
The Golkar leaders’ meeting, amid several dissenting opinions, decided to name Kalla its presidential candidate, following collapsed talks with the President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s (SBY) Democratic Party.
Kalla said the meeting with the PDI-P had led to preliminary yet significant results regarding Golkar’s plan to ally with the PDI-P.
“This meeting is aimed at consulting each other’s interests to face the presidential election,” he said.
News of Golkar’s split from the Democratic Party sent jitters through the business community.
The Democratic Party is leading in ongoing nationwide tallies from the legislative elections.
On Thursday, a grinning Taufik Kiemas said the meeting with Kalla was conducted “in a good mood”.
“We’re glad to announce that right now both parties’ chairpersons are ready to hold more serious discussions on building a solid coordination in facing the country’s problems,”
he said.
Kiemas led the PDI-P’s top brass meeting at Kalla’s house, including his daughter Puan Maharani, secretary-general Pramono Anung and presidential campaign team head Theo Syafei.
A source in the PDI-P warned the party's support of Megawati’s presidential bid was “non-negotiable”.
“So if Golkar insists on naming Kalla their presidential candidate, it could spark protest from our grassroots,” he said.
With Golkar and the Democratic Party split, Islamic and nationalist parties trailing in the polls have boosted their bargaining position.
Joko Susilo, a leader of the National Mandate Party (PAN), said Golkar “is out of our radar”, adding most members wanted the PAN to team up with SBY’s party.
The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), currently with about 7.8 percent of votes, said it had intensified talks with the Democratic Party.
“But we’re still open for coalition talks with all parties, including Golkar, before the final say on April 26th [when the PKS holds its national meeting],” party member Mahfud Siddiq said