Febriamy Hutapea, Papua – Golkar Party advisory board chairman Surya Paloh officially announced on Thursday his candidacy for the chairmanship of the faction, promising to lead the battered party back to its former glory.

"I declare [myself] to be an official candidate for Golkar Party chairman in the upcoming national congress," Paloh told supporters at Cenderawasih Sports Hall in Jayapura, Papua. "Under your blessing, I am ready to bring the mandate and trust."

Analysts have predicted that Paloh, a media tycoon, would struggle to beat billionaire Aburizal Bakrie, the current coordinating minister for people's welfare, who has the far deeper pockets required to secure the backing of the regional branches of the party ahead of its national leadership congress from Oct. 4 to 7.

Tommy Suharto, playboy son of the former dictator, has also announced his candidacy, despite his conviction for ordering the murder of a Supreme Court justice who found him guilty of corruption. The verdict was later overturned.

Golkar's districts leaders, cadres and supporters were crammed into the hall to hear Paloh's announcement. Carrying posters and wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the words "Bringing Back Golkar's Victory," they voiced their support for Paloh, who they think can restore Golkar to its perch as the nation's largest party.

Paloh said he declared his candidacy after hearing about the support he received from 29 Papua district chairmen, seven district chairmen in West Nusa Tenggara and eight district chairmen in Bali.

Golkar is scheduled to hold its five-year national congress next month to choose a chairman to replace Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who led Golkar to back-to-back election defeats this year. Golkar typically won 70 percent to 80 percent of votes during the Suharto years, but only received about 14 percent in the April legislative election.

Paloh said Golkar was now at a crossroads that would determine whether the party would return to power or die. "The one who determines our party's fate are Golkar's cadres and the constituents themselves, not someone else," he said.

Paloh said the party suffered defeats in this year's elections because it failed to attract public support. Golkar, he said, was trapped by false rhetoric, refusing to accept criticism and no longer listening to people's aspirations. "It's like a bitter pill which should become a valuable lesson," he added.

Paloh called on Golkar members not to leave the party, but instead improve it by making smart and objective decisions that could bring the party back to supremacy.

After visiting Papua, Paloh is scheduled to declare his candidacy in South Sulawesi then on to West Kalimantan, Central Java, and south and west Sumatra.

Paloh is also facing competition from two up-and-coming party members, Yuddy Chrisnandi and Ferry Mursyidan Baldan.

Hilda Wanggober, the Sipiori district chairwoman, said if Golkar did not rise in 2014, the party would fade into memory. "We have to win the 2014 legislative and presidential elections. This should be a goal which has to be reached by the next party chairman," she said.