Controversy has ensued within the Golkar Party in the wake of Novanto’s decision to step down as House Speaker.
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Kompas/Wisnu Widiantoro
From left, Golkar Party Ethics Council deputy chairman Akbar Tandjung, Indonesian Political Indicator executive director Burhanuddin Muhtadi, LIPI researcher Siti Zuhro, CSIS researcher Philip J Vermonte and Indonesian Poltracking executive director Hanta Yuda speak on Sunday (10/12) at the National Workshop: Formulating the Renewal and Revival of the Golkar Party. The event discussed the steps Golkar must take to improve its declining image.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS – Controversy has ensued within the Golkar Party in the wake of e-ID graft suspect Setya Novanto’s decision to step down as House of Representatives Speaker and appoint Aziz Syamsuddin as his replacement. Many are debating the legality of the appointment.
Article 27, Point 2 of Golkar’s internal bylaws (AD/ART) stipulates that the party’s central executive board has the authority to appoint, inaugurate and dismiss leaders within the People’s Consultative Assembly and the House of Representatives.
The House’s Golkar faction deputy secretary, Ace Hasan Syadzily, said in Jakarta on Monday (10/12) that Novanto’s replacement for House Speaker should be decided in a plenary meeting of the party’s central executive board. Golkar’s decision on the House Speaker appointment, he continued, must then be written on official letterhead and signed by the party’s chairman and secretary-general.
Ace he hoped that the House leadership and factions would disregard the letter. However, House Ethics Council deputy chair Sarifuddin Sudding said last night that Novanto’s letter would be read and approved in a House plenary session today. Sudding said that the agenda must first be agreed at a meeting of the House steering committee, which would be held before the plenary session.
House Speaker’s letterhead
Sudding first broke the news on Novanto’s resignation as House Speaker. This was confirmed by Golkar’s East Nusa Tenggara provincial chair, Melki Laka Lena. “Pak Novanto submitted his resignation letter through his wife Deisti Astriani Tagor,” Melki said.
Melki said that, he was shown the letter on Friday evening (8/12) upon meeting Deisti. It was written on a piece of paper with a letterhead reading “House of Representatives Speaker Setya Novanto” and was dated December 4, 2017. In the letter, Novanto appointed Aziz as his replacement.
Lawmaker and United Development Party (PPP) secretary-general Arsul Sani said that he was notified about the letter on Friday by House Golkar faction chair Robert J Kardinal. Arsul said that, apart from himself and Robert, Aziz and House National Awakening Party (PKB) faction secretary Cucun Ahmad Syamsurijal were also present at the meeting.
“Aziz called me and said that Robert wanted to meet with us. It was during the meeting that Robert told us that Novanto had resigned as House Speaker and the Golkar Party had decided that Aziz should replace him,” he said.
In a text message sent to Kompas, Aziz said that he did not know about Novanto’s letter or about his own appointment as House speaker. “I haven’t heard about that,” he said.
Golkar central executive board campaign team coordinator Nusron Wahid said that Novanto had appointed Idrus Marham as acting Golkar chairman on Nov. 15. Afterwards, a plenary meeting of the Golkar central executive board on Nov. 21 decided that all strategic decisions must be made in coordination between Idrus, the plenary leader and all divisional coordinators. Therefore, Nusron said, Novanto no longer had the authority to appoint people to specific positions.
