Money Politics Signal Degeneration of Golkar: Priyo

WE Online, Jakarta - Priyo Budi Santoso, one of eight candidates contesting the election for the new general chairman of the Golkar party, said money politics would lead the countrys second largest political party to degeneration.

"If a chairman was elected not in fair way it would be the start of deterioration of Golkar," Priyo said in a news conference in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Sunday (15/5/2016).

Priyo said he was shocked to hear information that one of the candidates had gathered the party regional leaders, who hold the voting right, allegedly seeking to bribe them to voting for him. The party is holding an extra-ordinary national congress in Nusa Dua Bali from May 14 to 16 to elect new general chairman of the party.

The extra ordinary congress is held expected to end internal conflict between two factions dating back to 2014 presidential elections

Priyos allegation was apparently directed toward candidate Setya Novanto, by saying he and the six other candidates had received report about alleged money politics committed by a candidate.

He said he and Airlangga Hartarto, Ade Komarudin, Mahyudin, Syahrul Yasin Limpo, Azis Syamsudin and Indra Bambang Utoyo,had agreed to hold the election with closed voting against Setya Novanto allegedly calling for open voting.

"So far as I know, election for the general chairman has always been in secret voting," he said.

The other six candidates with the exception of Indra Bambang Utoyo,(who could not come for certain reason) were present at the news conference. Meanwhile, Nurdin Chalid, the chairman of the congress said a candidate is strictly not allowed to hold a meeting with the party regional leaders ahead of the voting on Monday.

Setya Novanto, however, had denied the allegation and said that he agreed with either closed or open voting. The congress was opened by President Joko Widodo on Saturday. (Ant)