Agung said the congress should be held as soon as possible, not later than next month to allow the party to carry on its functions as a political party.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Agung Laksono, who chairs one of the rival factions of Golkar which has split into two, said he wanted the party to be united in a fair way.

Agung Laksono was elected general chairman of rival faction in a congress in Ancol, Jakarta, after earlier in Bali the other faction elected incumbent Aburizal Bakrie to lead the party for another five years.

"We differ in opinion but we love unity. We want reconciliation. We want to be united again but in a fair way," Agung said here on Tuesday night.

He said the best way to reconcile is through national congress to elect new leaders of the party.

He said the congress should be held as soon as possible, not later than next month to allow the party to carry on its functions as a political party.

Previously the government recognized only the party under Agung Laksono but the court ordered for the cancellation of the decision, leaving the party without legal leadership.

Agung said it was an arrogant way of thinking that national congress was not necessary.

"We hear there has been a meeting in Bali deciding to reject national congress. It was an unsympathetic decision," he said.

Aburizal Bakrie and his followers held a meeting in Bali earlier this week and decided to reject the idea of holding congress before 2019.

Agung said he regretted that Aburizal Bakrie did not appreciate the initiative taken by his faction to hold communications.

"It seem they are not interested and have no interest at all (in reconciliation). Arrogance has led them to a decision that congress is not necessary.

"I think we just leave it to the public to evaluate," he said.

He said his faction wanted a national congress to select new leaders with transparency and democratically.

Agung also asked to put off the process of naming a new Parliament speaker to replace Setya Novanto as the party has no legal standing.

Setya Novanto stepped down in disgrace as House Speaker after the House Ethic Council found him guilty of violation of ethical code.

Setya Novanto is from Golkar and his replacement should also be from Golkar based on the house regulation.

Earlier , Leo Nababan, another leader of Golkar under Agung Laksono said the most realistic option to safe Golkar was by forming a transitional board of executive.

"The proposal to form a transitional board of executive is my brilliance idea. This is most realistic with Jusuf Kalla (who is now vice president) as the general chairman and Akbar Tanjung as the secretary general," Leo said.

Both Jusuf Kalla and Akbar Tanjung are influential leaders and were former general chairmen of the party.

Leo said he wanted Jusuf Kalla and Akbar Tandjung to take over the leadership and immediately organize national congress.

The two leaders could still be expected to save the party, which has the second largest number of seats in the parliament,he said.

Jusuf Kalla and Akbar Tanjung could select leaders from the two rival factions equally in number, he added.

He suggested that the new leaders should selected from among the younger cadres such as Airlangga Hartanto, Tommy Soeharto, Ade Komaruddin and Agus Gumiwang.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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