Indonesia's Golkar Party which was used by former President Suharto to impose decades of authoritarian rule, is undergoing a makeover. The party is even considering appointing one of Indonesia's most respected Islamic scholars, a man who played a central role in Suharto's overthrow, as its presidential candidate.

Presenter/Interviewer: Tricia Fitzgerald

Speakers: Nurcholis Majid, Islamic scholar, Hadar Gumar, the head of Indonesia's Center for Electoral reform

Fitzgerald: President Megawati Sukarnoputri is working to ensure she will win next year's election and hold her position but dozens of established and aspiring politicians are lining up to topple her. As an opposition leader she was the darling of the Indonesian masses but as ruling president, she may well get a more critical response from electors next year. And while Megawati has been at the helm of Indonesian political life, her main rival, the Golkar Party, has been busy polishing-up its image. Less than a year away from general elections Golkar has announced dramatic changes, saying it will allow all levels of its huge party machine to select its presidential and vice presidential candidates for 2004.

Hadar Gumar of Indonesia's Center for Electoral Reform says Golkar which gave unfaltering support to Suharto's authoritarian presidency for decades, wants to open up itself in the hope the public will forgive and forget its past.

Gumar: In particular of this selection of the candidates as it was in the past it was only decision by only small number of the central committee members, that they will support Suharto again for many, many times. But in order to change that image, in order to regain that power again in these coming elections, they made essential important moves. For example, they proposed, or they create an internal selection for the presidential candidate, what they call a convention. So they open this opportunity not only for Golkar people, members as well as the committees, but also from the outside who are interested to become president can on this race, on this mechanism.

Fitzgerald: In its desire to change its spots Golkar is even considering taking on one of a group of ten senior Indonesians who publicly pressured former President Suharto to step down. The highly-respected Doctor Nurcholis Madjid, who heads Jakarta's Paramedina Institute, would give any Golkar campaign a new air of respectability. He's set down a political platform making himself available as a presidential candidate and says Golkar have approached him regarding his candidacy.

Madjid: Of course Golkar is still suffering from being stigmatised as a continuous arm of Suharto's, but this in the case of Golkar other lessons that they take from the last five years want to commit itself to reform, which implies that they are ready to recruit leadership, political leadership from outside their own political party, which is a very progressive thing.

Fitzgerald: There have been suggestions that you might run with Golkar in the next election? Is that possible, are you looking at that option, have they made you an offer?

Madjid: Well it's only one of the possibilities because people who approach me come from almost all political parties, but only at the personal or individual level, not on institutional level, not formally yet. Golkar is the closest to the formal, maybe because out of desperation that they want to have a kind of fresh blood or something for their political party, which is interpretable (sic) to be strong willingness to reform itself.

Fitzgerald: Although in the past Doctor Nurcholis supported Megawati Sukarnoputri to replace Suharto, he now believes she needs to be removed. As presidential candidate he wants a government of social justice, open and corruption-free governance, strong rule of law, and national reconciliation across all ethnic and cultural groups. Although the Golkar Party in the past presided over a military-dominated Indonesia, Doctor Nurcholis says that is not the vision he has as a presidential candidate.

Madjid: Well my phrase is not to rebuild the role of the military as it was during Suharto, but all these things should happen within the framework of democracy, which means that the military dominance is incompatible with this way of thinking.

Fitzgerald: While Golkar's showing serious interest in Doctor Nurcholis, his pro-democracy reconciliation approach may not find favour in all elements of the party. And there are potential presidential candidates from within the party who will also be vying for selection. Golkar leader Akbar Tandjung will certainly push himself forward if he is successful in having a major corruption conviction quashed, and other established Golkar heavyweights will also be wanting to run.

But Hadar Gumar who keeps a close watch on Indonesia's political landscape says both Doctor Nurcholis and Golkar have a lot to gain by joining forces. Under an upcoming new law it's likely only candidates endorsed by parties or coalitions of parties, which get at least 20 percent of the overall vote, will be allowed to run for president. This means possibly only Megawati's party – the PDIP, Golkar and perhaps Amin Rais' National Mandate Party may be eligible to run candidates.

So by hooking up with Golkar Doctor Nurcholis gets to run for president, and have the huge and established party structure of Golkar helping him with the costs and logistics of the campaign. And Golkar may get its chance to put its past behind it.

Gumar: There are some changes now from Golkar themselves, and then I think Dr Nurcholis also has shown his platform and don't forget he also stressed that what is important now is the future, not something that was done in the past. So this could be a factor that could meet these both parts, Dr Nurcholis and Golkar.