Candidate for Democratic Party chairman Andi Mallarangeng (right),
accompanied by legislator and President
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s son Edhie Baskoro.
Andi has been criticized for trying to cozy up
to the president for his endorsement
The frontrunner in the race to head the Democratic Party has taken a swipe at a rival’s apparent call to relegate the president’s role in the party, after being criticized for enlisting his brother, from the Golkar Party, in the latest round of bickering ahead of the caucus and vote in May.
Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Andi Mallaranggeng, who drew criticism for getting help from his brother Rizal, a senior Golkar official, said over the weekend that rival Anas Urbaningrum’s vision to phase party patron President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono from the stage was unacceptable.
“It would be wrong for anyone to claim they want to develop the party by distancing it from Yudhoyono,” Andi said at a campaign stop in Medan, North Sumatra, as quoted by Kompas.com.
“The notion is a big mistake.”
He added he would never make such a call, saying plans to modernize the party should be based on Yudhoyono’s ideas and his standing as a figurehead.
Rival candidates and political analysts have long criticized Andi’s attempts to cozy up to the president for his endorsement.
His statements come three days after Achmad Mubarok, Anas’s campaign manager, denounced the appearance by Rizal at Andi’s campaign stop in Bali, saying it pointed to his bid being backed by Golkar.
In declaring his own bid last week, Anas said it was time the Democrats focused on its regional branches, sparking accusations that he was calling for a devolution of power away from Yudhoyono and his family.
Achmad called the allegations a negative campaign, and denied Anas was sidelining Yudhoyono.
“While we respect Yudhoyono, we understand the party needs greater development at the regional level,” he said. “That’s what we need to fix.”
A third candidate, House of Representatives Speaker Marzuki Alie, said it was natural the bickering would revolve around Yudhoyono, given his central role and the clout his endorsement carried.
He added that while the party used modern management, many party stalwarts still clung to the traditional Javanese culture of paternalism, the nuclear family, and respect for one’s elders.
“The Democratic Party is mired in it,” Marzuki said. “It would be good if the father figure [Yudhoyono] and brothers [his family] helped us move on.”
He said the generational rift should not cause friction within the party, adding he would also meet with Yudhoyono to seek his permission to run.
“I’m focusing on my duties for now rather than getting involved in the brouhaha of the campaigning,” he said. “But I’ll seek an audience with Yudhoyono, even if it’s just a day before the caucus.”
Indonesian Survey Institute political analyst Burhanuddin Muhtadi said the bickering showed how far the party was from being a modern one.
Rather than seek Yudhoyono’s support or curry favor through his family, he said, the candidates should focus on getting endorsements from regional branches. “It would be better for them to sell their programs of how to modernize the party and shore up its ranks for the 2014 elections,” he said.
Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Andi Mallaranggeng, who drew criticism for getting help from his brother Rizal, a senior Golkar official, said over the weekend that rival Anas Urbaningrum’s vision to phase party patron President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono from the stage was unacceptable.
“It would be wrong for anyone to claim they want to develop the party by distancing it from Yudhoyono,” Andi said at a campaign stop in Medan, North Sumatra, as quoted by Kompas.com.
“The notion is a big mistake.”
He added he would never make such a call, saying plans to modernize the party should be based on Yudhoyono’s ideas and his standing as a figurehead.
Rival candidates and political analysts have long criticized Andi’s attempts to cozy up to the president for his endorsement.
His statements come three days after Achmad Mubarok, Anas’s campaign manager, denounced the appearance by Rizal at Andi’s campaign stop in Bali, saying it pointed to his bid being backed by Golkar.
In declaring his own bid last week, Anas said it was time the Democrats focused on its regional branches, sparking accusations that he was calling for a devolution of power away from Yudhoyono and his family.
Achmad called the allegations a negative campaign, and denied Anas was sidelining Yudhoyono.
“While we respect Yudhoyono, we understand the party needs greater development at the regional level,” he said. “That’s what we need to fix.”
A third candidate, House of Representatives Speaker Marzuki Alie, said it was natural the bickering would revolve around Yudhoyono, given his central role and the clout his endorsement carried.
He added that while the party used modern management, many party stalwarts still clung to the traditional Javanese culture of paternalism, the nuclear family, and respect for one’s elders.
“The Democratic Party is mired in it,” Marzuki said. “It would be good if the father figure [Yudhoyono] and brothers [his family] helped us move on.”
He said the generational rift should not cause friction within the party, adding he would also meet with Yudhoyono to seek his permission to run.
“I’m focusing on my duties for now rather than getting involved in the brouhaha of the campaigning,” he said. “But I’ll seek an audience with Yudhoyono, even if it’s just a day before the caucus.”
Indonesian Survey Institute political analyst Burhanuddin Muhtadi said the bickering showed how far the party was from being a modern one.
Rather than seek Yudhoyono’s support or curry favor through his family, he said, the candidates should focus on getting endorsements from regional branches. “It would be better for them to sell their programs of how to modernize the party and shore up its ranks for the 2014 elections,” he said.
