News Focus: GOLKAR URGED TO PROPOSE MORE THAN ONE NAME TO SBY

By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, April 20 (ANTARA) - A number of cadres are calling on Golkar that the political party should propose more than one name as Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY)'s running mate for the July's presidential race.

The aspirations have arisen in the runup to Golkar's Special National Leadership Meeting next Thursday where it is expected to decide whether it will coalesce with Yudhoyono's Democratic Party, or will nominate its own presidential candidate.
However the main stream in the Golkar Party is for coalescing again with the Democratic Party although there are also elements that want Golkar to nominate its own presidential candidate.
Golkar Party Associate Chairman Priyo Budi Santoso said his party was willing to coalesce with the Democratic Party for a wider interest, namely to build and reinforce the presidential system so that it would be effective and stable in serving the people.
If in the meeting coalition with the Democratic Party is the best option, then Golkar has to decide whether it will propose one or more names to SBY. So far, the incumbent Golkar chairman is still widely tipped as the best candidate by cadres within the Golkar elite.
However, aspirations are also arising that Golkar should propose more than one name. "Therefore, it should be decided in the special leadership meeting. This is a realistic consideration for national interest," Priyo said adding that at the moment Golkar Chairman Jusuf Kalla was still the most favorite candidate along with other Golkar cadres.
Former Golkar chairman Akbar Tanjung said meanwhile it would be unethical for the party to propose only one name as SBY's running mate.
"It is better for Golkar to give more than one name so that SBY can choose one of them according to his vision and mission," Tanjung said after a coordination meeting of "Barisan Indonesia" of Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua in South Sulawesi over the weekend.
He said the candidates could be taken from the names that the party's recent national consultation meeting had recommended, namely Akbar Tanjung, Jusuf Kalla, Agung Laksono, Aburizal Bakrie and Surya Paloh.
Golkar Party executive Marzuki Darusman even said the party had prepared five candidates for consideration by SBY as his running mate. Darusman mentioned Jusuf Kalla, Akbar Tanjung, Surya Paloh, Agung Laksono and Sultan Hamengku Buwono X. "They are the names we are going to offer to SBY if a coalition with the Democratic Party is agreed on at the party's national leadership meeting on April 23 and if it is welcomed by SBY," he said. He did mention Aburizal Bakrie, however.
Marzuki said the names of the five figures came up out of the party's internal need. After all, fundamental changes had also happened in the political dynamics after the recent elections while Jusuf Kalla was no longer in a strong position to represent Golkar.
Golkar is now weighing if it will only seek the vice presidential position after the party was defeated by Yudhoyono's Democratic Party in the recent legislative elections as shown by the provisional vote counts.
According to Golkar General chairman Jusuf Kalla, with only around 14 percent of votes collected it was impossible for the party to name a candidate for the presidential election later in July.
"With its vote collection of only around 14 percent naming a presidential candidate will be impossible because the votes may not win up to 20 percent of parliamentary seats (needed to be able to name an own candidate)," he said.
In the wake of the decline in Golkar's voter turnout, Akbar Tanjung suggested that Golkar should improve its internal relations.
He saw that a slump in the party's vote tally compared to that in the 2004 general election has gained increased attention from the party's cadres in the party's regional and central chapters.
The Golkar party should be able to produce qualified cadres, so that there will be a system linking the achievement, dedication, loyalty and better image," he said.
"Golkar should be responsive to the aspirations of the people, so that the basis of Golkar masses will not turn to other political parties," Akbar Tanjung said.
On the occasion, the former Golkar general chairman expressed readiness to become the running mate of Yudhoyono. "I am ready to team up with Yudhoyono, if Golkar party wants me to run for that post in the party's special national leadership meeting," he said.
As to Tanjung's readiness to be nominated, Marzuki Darusman said the presence of Akbar Tanjung as a vice presidential nominee would not cause a problem within the party, adding that the main internal problem of the party now was pros and cons on Jusuf Kalla's nomination.
"Resistance against Akbar Tanjung exists only within the party's executive board while in the regions he has wide support," he said.
He said this was what the party executive board had so far covered up. Therefore, he said, he now wished to unveil it and by doing so "we are being fair towards the Democratic Party and also toward SBY so that they can accept the condition in Golkar as it is now," he said.
After all, Golkar has not received a definite signal that SBY agreed with the party's vice presidential nominee. Kalla only told Golkar ranks that there had been two agreements with Yodhoyono, namely cooperation in the parliament and in the cabinet. Moreover, Yudhoyono himself, after a meeting with Kalla recently, said there was nothing special in his meeting with Kalla.
The absence of definite signal from Yudhoyono prompted another Golkar senior cadre Siswono Yudhohusodo to suggest that Golkar should not propose any cadre for Yudhoyono. He said that if Golkar proposed a name but turned to be rejected it would bring shame to the party.
"There is no need for Golkar to propose a name for Yudhoyono's running mate because it would only degrade the party's dignity if its nominee is rejected. If the Democratic Party needs our cadres it will come to us," he said on Sunday.