Hasyim Widhiarto, Jakarta – Only two days after securing his reelection as Golkar Party chairman, Aburizal Bakrie now faces fresh challenges to his leadership after a breakaway faction in the party kicked off on Saturday a rival congress to establish its own version of the party leadership.
Taking place at a convention center in Ancol in North Jakarta, the three-day congress has been organized by senior Golkar politicians, including former Golkar deputy chairman Agung Laksono, former executive Yorrys Raweyai, former House of Representatives deputy speaker Priyo Budi Santoso and former lawmaker Ibnu Munzir, who have all recently criticized many of Aburizal's missteps including his failure to secure victory in this year's legislative election.
Yorrys, the congress' lead organizer, claimed that representatives from 384 out of 560 Golkar chapters and branches joined the congress, allowing the meeting to meet the quorum as stipulated by the party's internal rules.
He also said the congress would schedule, among other items, the evaluation of Golkar's performance in the past five years and the election of a new party chairman.
"However, unlike the other congress, this congress will allow [Golkar] chairmanship candidates to transparently share their vision and mission in front of congress participants," Yorrys said, referring to Golkar's recent congress in Bali, which unanimously supported Aburizal's reelection despite wide criticism of his dismal performance.
Golkar, now the country's second-largest political party, currently remains outside the government coalition – the first time in its 50-year history it has not been in government, after Aburizal directed the party to support the unsuccessful presidential bid of Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto.
Following the defeat, Golkar joined the opposition Red-and-White Coalition, with Aburizal being appointed as coalition leader.
Expectations were high that a leadership change in Golkar would allow the party to join the ruling coalition led by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).
A few days before the Bali congress, Agung, Priyo and several senior Golkar politicians established the "Presidium of the Golkar Party's Saviors". Both camps have since maintained the legality of their respective leaderships.
As of Saturday evening, Priyo, Agung and lawmaker Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita had announced their intention to contest the Golkar leadership vote in the current congress.
Priyo also claimed the congress had received an endorsement from Vice President, and former Golkar chairman, Jusuf Kalla. "Three days ago I, Pak Agung and Pak Agus met with Vice President Jusuf Kalla to discuss many issues [related to the party]. He gave us his support to hold this congress," he said.
The opposition camp initially planned to hold its own version of a national congress in January but decided to bring it forward after deciding that Golkar's position had been undermined by Aburizal's reelection, Yorrys added.
The sudden changes also affected the congress preparations. Some congress participants, for example, said they had to wait several hours until the registration desk opened. The opening of the congress was also delayed from 2 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. due to the late arrival of delegates.
Participants explained why they endorsed the congress. West Sulawesi Governor Anwar Adnan, who was dismissed earlier this year by Aburizal for supporting Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's presidential bid, for example, said his attendance at the congress was his way of taking responsibility for his political decision.
Golkar secretary-general Idrus Marham, however, said the current congress would not affect Aburizal's leadership. "We don't consider that such a congress even exists," he said.