"We ask the minister to withdraw his statement," Fadel said.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Deputy Chairman of the Golkar Party Fadel Muhammad has said the statement made by Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Tedjo Edhi Purdijatno on the partys upcoming national congress indicated government intervention.
"We ask the minister to withdraw his statement," Fadel said here on Wednesday.
Minister Purdijatno on Tuesday (Nov. 25) asked the police not to issue any permit for the national congress in Bali on November 30, 2014.
The minister cited that the congress will coincide with the year-end holidays, so if the congress turns chaotic, it will harm Indonesias image internationally.
Fadel Muhammad, however, remarked that he regretted the ministers statement. He explained that the Bali provincial police chief has said Bali was conducive to the congress and the National Police Chief has given the permit to conduct the congress.
"The statement made by the coordinating minister for political, legal, and security affairs implies government intervention, so its rather unpleasant," Fadel stated at the Parliament building.
He added that the statement also indicated that the government was not neutral concerning the Golkars internal problem.
He emphasized that some elites were competing for the Golkars top position and the matter was the partys internal problem.
For the sake of democracy, the government must not intervene in the partys internal issues, he added.
"A number of colleagues have regarded the statement as political because the coordinating minister for political, legal, and security affairs is from the National Democrat (NasDem) Party that had split from the Golkar," he noted.
The Golkars congress will be held in Bali on November 30, 2014, to choose a new leader as the incumbent chief, Aburizal Bakri, is seeking re-election as he completes his term.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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