Anita Rachman – Far from hurting Golkar chief Aburizal Bakrie's potential chances in the 2014 presidential election, the Lapindo mudflow disaster would be a boon, a party official said on Wednesday.

"We have a political belief that it would not hamper him [Aburizal]," said Idrus Marham, secretary general of Golkar Party.

The mudflow, which began erupting in May 2006 after the blowout of a natural gas well owned by Lapindo Brantas, a Bakrie Group affiliate, has destroyed hundreds of homes, swamped 720 hectares of land and displaced thousands of people.

Lapindo was widely blamed for the eruption, though the firm's management and the government blamed the disaster on an earthquake that struck days before the mudflow.

Idrus on Wedensday said that as the mudflow had been declared a natural phenomenon, the controversy surrounding it would do little to hurt Aburizal's chances if he decided to run for president.

In fact, Idrus continued, the positive publicity surrounding the disaster would only serve to boost Aburizal's profile. He said that Bakrie Group had been very generous in buying the affected land at a higher than normal price.

"It is extraordinary, as it is not [Aburizal's] responsibility," Idrus said. "The court of law said that it is a natural phenomenon. "Aburizal is a great leader. [The Lapindo mudflow] would only be positive energy."