Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The general chairman of Golkar Party, Aburizal Bakrie (Ical) said Golkar would remain in the coalition to support the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

"Yes. (Golkar) will be with the coalition," he said after meeting with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the presidential palace here on Tuesday evening.

Aburizal said the meeting had been held behind closed doors and was only attended by him and the President. The two agreed to build communication in the coalition.

"Yes. We agreed to make the coalition better," he said.

He said Golkar supports efforts by coalition member parties to settle various principle problems so that the government would run better.

"Later together we will improve it. We will find the objectivity for a better goal. The goal is the people`s welfare. That is what we were talking about," he said.

In the meeting, he said, President Yudhoyono emphasized the need for an evaluation so that small matters would not disrupt the cooperation of political parties in the coalition.

"We agreed that it is only three and a half years left. Effectively it is only three years left for the government to finish its term. We agreed that the three years had to be made use maximally," he said.

Aburizal and Yudhoyono agreed to maximize the function of the coalition`s joint secretariate. Aburizal said the secretariate is not a tool for eternalizing power but a means for doing good for the people.

The two did not discuss cabinet reshuffle. Aburizal also did not tell whether the composition of political parties in the coalition would change or remain after an agreement was made by him and the President.

He said members of Golkar Party faction in the House of Representatives would remain critical. Golkar politicians would continue to fight to assure that the government runs within the corridor already agreed upon such as improving the people`s welfare, the economy and corruption eradication.

The meeting last for about an hour and Aburizal said that it went on relaxedly without any tension. "Relax, no tension. There were only me and the President," he said.(*)

(H-YH/A/HAJM)

Editor: Ruslan Burhani
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