The Jakart Post , Jakarta | Tue, 07/14/2009 11:09 AM | Headlines
Golkar Party chairman Jusuf Kalla reminded the public late Monday night that his party will remain part of the ruling coalition until its term ends on Oct. 20, as doubts over his leadership emerge.
Kalla said that when his term as vice president comes to an end it would be up to the next Golkar central executive board to decide whether to seek the renewal of the coalition with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party or become an opposing force.
Asked of his post-October expectations, Kalla quipped, "Golkar is based on decisions, not expectations."
Kalla was speaking at a press conference after a party meeting at his official residence on Jl. Mangunsarkoro in Central Jakarta.
Golkar is scheduled to hold its national congress in December, but Kalla's defeat in last week's presidential election has led members of the party to call for the meeting to be brought forward.
"We will have to follow the party's regulation before deciding whether the congress will be held earlier," he said.
"First, we must hold a national leadership meeting sometime in early August to decide the place and time for the congress."
Kalla said the party had to also decide on how the congress would be organized.
The congress is tentatively scheduled for December.
Priyo Budi Santoso, who chairs Golkar's caucus in the House of Representatives, said the national congress would probably be held before October.
Meanwhile, Kalla said it was decided at Monday evening's meeting to wait for the official results of the presidential election from the General Elections Commission (KPU).
"We will follow all the procedures set by the KPU and at the same time collect data from the regions to determine whether there are still reports of violations or not.
"We will decide what to do during a coordination meeting to be held later this month," he said.
Kalla said the party's regional chapters were still collecting evidence of possible electoral roll fraud in the presidential election.
"If there is any strong evidence *of electoral fraud* we must ensure that it does not happen again in the future," he said.
"This meeting aims to discuss the results and the party's performance during both the legislative and presidential election," Golkar executive Soemarsono, told reporters after Monday's meeting.
Soemarsono remained coy when asked if Golkar's position on the next administration was discussed.
Golkar, which broke its 2004 coalition partnership with the Democratic Party after April's legislative election when Kalla chose to run for president, has shown signs it will renew the partnership following the chairman's resounding defeat in the presidential election, according to quick counts.
Regional Golkar leaders including Ridwan Bae, stated that it was very possible that Kalla would lose his chairmanship of the party and be replaced with Aburizal Bakrie, who is rumoured to be the frontrunner for the position.
The name of media magnate Suryo Paloh, who is the party's current chief patron, is also being circulated.
Golkar is said to be looking to renew its coalition with the democratic party after Kalla secured just 12 percent of votes in the presidential election, according to the results of several quick counts.
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