Jakarta – The calls for Mr Akbar Tandjung to quit as Golkar chief are growing louder. In the second serious blow to his grip over the party, his right-hand man Agung Laksono joined the ranks of those demanding his ouster.

Mr Agung revealed over the weekend that he had urged Mr Akbar, who was found guilty of corruption and sentenced to three years' jail, to resign from the Golkar chairmanship.

Earlier, Golkar leaders Aulia Rachman, Fahmi Idris, Marwah Daud Ibrahim, Marzuki Darusman and Theo L. Sambuaga had told Mr Akbar to quit during a closed-door meeting on Wednesday night.

Mr Agung said the party leaders, who asked Mr Akbar to resign, had no personal grudge against the House Speaker. "We did so to save everybody in the party and so that all sides concerned are not prejudiced and dragged into the problem Akbar is facing," he was quoted by Antara as saying.

Senior Golkar leader Marzuki Darusman said on Sunday that more and more Golkar leaders were calling for the party chief's resignation, but refused to give details.

He also said that although it had been agreed to keep Mr Akbar as party chairman, things could still change. "We have a mandate to keep Akbar in his position, but we are aware that this can change at any time. The conviction of Akbar has had a bad impact on Golkar," Mr Marzuki said.

But Golkar co-chairman Rambe Kamarulzaman said that only party leaders Fahmi, Marwah and Sambuaga wanted Mr Akbar to resign.