JAKARTA (TheInsiderStories) - Setya Novanto, former People’s Representative Council (DPR) Speaker and former treasury of Golkar, has been elected as new Chairman of Golkar Party, replacing Aburizal Bakrie for the period of 2016-2019.
Based on the voting results, Setya Novanto won majority votes (277 votes) of total 554 votes, while Ade Komarudin came in second with 173 votes. Other candidates got marginal votes —
Erlangga Hartarto 14 votes, Mahyudin 2 votes, Priyo Budi Santoso one vote, Aziz Syamsuddin 48 votes, Idra Bambang Utoyo one vote and Syahrul Yasin Limbo 27 votes, while 11 votes declared as void.
Aburizal Bakrie on the other hand has been appointed as Head of Advisory Council of the party.
The voting should be done in two phases, however, since Ade Komarudin pulled out to move to the second phase, the Extraordinary National Meeting (Munaslub) Secretary Siti Aisyah made the announcement of the result of the voting process. The Steering Committee of the Munaslub Nurdin Halid then made the formal announcement of the voting results.
Setya Novanto is believed to be supported by Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, of the Joko Widodo government.
The election of the Setya Novanto could pave the way for a closer relationship of Golkar Party and the current government. Another important decision that has been made at the Munaslub was that Golkar decided to exit from the Red-and-White Coalition (KMP), headed by Prabowo Subianto, which was formed prior to the presidential election in 2014. As a sign of his disappointment, Prabowo did not attend the Golkar Munaslub. (*)