August 22, 2024
JAKARTA – Newly elected Golkar Party chairman Bahlil Lahadalia has warned party executives to stay the course in supporting the government or face the wrath of a “Javanese king”, an apparent reference to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.
On Wednesday, the party elected Bahlil, a close aide to Jokowi, as its new chairman by acclamation on the second day of its national congress. Bahlil, the sole candidate running for Golkar’s top post, secured the majority of support of the party’s regional chapters.
In a speech delivered before his inauguration as party chair, Bahlil said his leadership would ensure Golkar’s commitment to the incoming administration of president-elect Prabowo Subianto and vice president-elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Jokowi’s eldest son.
Calling on party members to remain united moving forward, the current energy and mineral resources minister said he would put Golkar on the front line to ensure the success of the Prabowo administration’s programs, which he described as the continuation of Jokowi’s legacy.
“We have to do better, because we’ll be doomed by this Javanese king if we play around,” Bahlil said.
“I’m telling you, don’t try to play around with this thing. It’s terrifying,” he continued, without identifying who he meant by “Javanese king” or clarifying the context of his statement.
The country’s oldest party began its national congress to elect a new chairman on Tuesday, following the sudden resignation of its former chair Airlangga Hartarto.
Airlangga’s term as chairman was supposed to have ended in December.
His unexpected resignation and Bahlil’s appointment led to speculation that Jokowi was orchestrating the installment of a trusted ally as head of the country’s oldest party to pave the way for Jokowi himself to take a senior role on the party’s advisory board.
The outgoing President is reportedly seeking a new political vehicle to maintain his influence after leaving office. He parted ways with his longtime backer, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), earlier this year after tacitly endorsing Prabowo, who was competing against the PDI-P’s own nominee for the presidency.
But Bahlil denied speculation that Jokowi was maneuvering behind the scenes to control the party, claiming that he always believed in “competition”.
“I’d like to stress that there was no such thing as an intervention,” the new chair said. “I’d have been happier with competition, but what could I do if there was no competition.”
Claiming to have talked with the President, Bahlil dismissed the idea that Jokowi would lead the party’s advisory board, insisting that such a discussion never took place.
“But we can’t forbid people to assume things. Don’t blame me if these presumptions become a reality.”
Attending the congress’ closing ceremony on Wednesday night, Jokowi wore a shirt in Golkar’s distinctive yellow color, hinting at his interest in joining the nation’s oldest party.
“When I see a banyan tree, I feel refreshed, rejuvenated, especially on a day when it’s really hot. Being under a banyan tree makes it more comfortable,” the President said, referring to the type of tree depicted on Golkar’s insignia.
He praised Golkar for what he said was its pluralism, pointing to the party’s previous leaders’ backgrounds, who originated from each of the country’s big islands from Sumatra to Sulawesi, an apparent dig at his former party PDI-P.
“Pluralism in Golkar is truly well maintained. That’s what I think makes Golkar more harmonious than the others,” Jokowi said.
But he later claimed he wore the yellow shirt out of respect for Golkar for inviting him to the congress and called on the public not to make too much of the sartorial choice.
The congress, which ended on Wednesday, agreed to grant Bahlil the right to assemble the party’s new executive board, allowing him to slim down the organizational structure and pick anyone he liked to help him in the party.
The forum also agreed to change some passages in the party’s bylaws, including removing a provision that granted the congress the authority to appoint members of the party’s councils and boards.
Bahlil now has the freedom to appoint members of party boards and councils, which have previously always consisted of senior Golkar members.
Bahlil’s appointment comes as both Jokowi and Prabowo consolidate power ahead of the change of presidential administration, with a growing number of Prabowo’s loyalists and confidantes being brought into Jokowi’s cabinet less than two months before he leaves office.
Once the political vehicle of New Order dictator Soeharto, Golkar has always aligned itself closely with the government, joining the pro-government coalition after each presidential election, even in cases where it backed the losing candidate.
In the February legislative election, Golkar won the second-most votes, trailing behind the winner, the PDI-P.