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PDIP nominates ex-Golkar figure in coming Riau gubernatorial race
Rizal Harahap , The Jakarta Post , Pekanbaru | Sat, 06/07/2008 11:24 AM | The Archipelago
In a major loss for the Golkar Party, a former senior figure and the speaker of the Riau provincial legislature will run for the Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) in the governor elections.
Chaidir, who has been recalled by Golkar for his decision, will run for governor for the PDIP against Golkar's candidate Rusli Zainal.
The PDIP's provincial chapter chairman, Suryadi, who had earlier aimed for the governor position, confirmed that the PDI Perjuangan's executive board had decided to nominate Chaidir as its governor candidate and himself as vice governor candidate.
"We will immediately start campaigning to win support from party members and supporters in the province," he told The Jakarta Post here on Friday.
Chaidir said he would immediately back down from his position as legislative speaker, which he was to hold until 2009.
He said his withdrawal would avoid suspicion he was using his position to benefit his bid for governor, and allow him to concentrate more on the race.
"This is my choice and I'm ready to face any consequences. I respect the party's rules and mechanisms. I'll just become a common party member later," Chaidir said.
Golkar recalled Chaidir from the provincial legislature after he joined PDI Perjuangan to contend the race.
"We have not disputed Chaidir's candidacy because it's his political prerogative to do so," Golkar's election affairs vice head Zulfan Heri said.
But he said Chaidir should have respected his party's decision to nominate Rusli Zainal as the governor candidate.
"We are still waiting for his gallantry to withdraw immediately, failing that, we will take action," he said.
Zulfan said Chaidir's political moves would not pose a risk because Golkar's political machinery from top to bottom solidly supported Rusli.
"Our recent survey results also show that his popularity rate is below that of Rusli," he said.
The dean of the school of political sciences of Riau University, Ali Yusri, criticized Golkar's move to recall Chaidir as undemocratic, saying he would have automatically stepped down from the provincial legislative council after his candidacy was officially registered with the General Election Commission (KPUD).
He said Chaidir had shifted to PDIP because Golkar had not given him the chance to pair with Rusli Zainal.
"If only Golkar had been responsive, Chaidir was actually prepared to run as vice governor, but that didn't happen. He felt he had the potential and PDIP took the chance to win the race," Ali said.
But he warned that major parties, mainly PDI Perjuangan and Golkar, were likely to be defeated as they were in West Java and North Sumatra, where Golkar split. In those regions the two rival party hopefuls were defeated by the minority Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).
