Febriamy Hutapea – Calls are growing within the divided National Mandate Party for a change of leadership, as the party tries to cozy up to the coalition aligned with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party.
The development comes as Vice President Jusuf Kalla, the embattled chairman of the Golkar Party and the apparent loser of last Wednesday's presidential election, faces similar calls to bring forward the party's national congress from the end of the year to before the new government takes power in October.
A senior source within the National Mandate Party (PAN) told the Jakarta Globe on Sunday that there were growing demands to bring forward the party's national congress, at which time a new party chairman can be elected.
The source said several senior party officials were concerned because PAN chairman Sutrisno Bachir had failed to give his full backing to Yudhoyono in his re-election bid and had remained silent during the campaign.
Former PAN chairman Amien Rais spearheaded the party's effort to support Yudhoyono, while Sutrisno earlier declared his support for the chairman of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), Prabowo Subianto, who eventually became the running mate of former President Megawati Sukarnoputri.
Some within PAN believe that Sutrisno's position could weaken the party's bargaining position in the next government, as a number of PAN members are believed to be seeking spots in the next cabinet.
Two members of Yudhoyono's current cabinet are from PAN: State Secretary Hatta Rajasa and Education Minister Bambang Sudibyo.
Abdillah Toha, a senior PAN politician, said that he regretted the attempt by a number of senior party members to move up the date of the national congress.
"I hope that all party members will be consistent and proceed with the party congress on the terms that were agreed to," Abdillah said.
He said that he did not see an internal rift developing in his party like the one that is threatening to divide Golkar.
Golkar, which has suffered two consecutive electoral defeats this year, is facing a deepening political split as calls increase within the party to move up the date of its congress, at which time Kalla is expected to be replaced as chairman.
Abdillah said that calling for PAN to hold an emergency meeting would only harm the image the party had tried to build by supporting Yudhoyono.
He explained that he was concerned outside observers would think that the president himself was interfering in the internal affairs of other political parties.
The chairman of PAN's central board, Patrialis Akbar, who supported Yudhoyono along with Amien, denied that some high-ranking PAN members wanted to hold an emergency meeting for the purpose of unseating the party's chairman.
"Nothing has happened," he said. "We're doing fine and are just waiting to hear the official election result."
PAN performed below its expectations in the legislative elections, finishing fifth and securing just 42 seats in the House.
Similar party rifts occurred across the political spectrum in the lead-up to the presidential election, as party leaders mulled over which candidates they would endorse.