Tommy Suharto (File Photo: Jewel Samad, AFP)

'Embarrassing': Tommy Suharto Launches Bid to Lead Golkar

Hutomo “Tommy” Mandala Putra, the controversial favored son of former President Suharto, confirmed on Thursday that he would run for chairman of the Golkar Party, his father’s former political vehicle.

Speaking during a news conference in Kuningan, Central Jakarta, the high-flying businessman and convicted murderer outlined his vision for the party, saying that Golkar should become an independent political party and not a member of a coalition government.

The comments were likely aimed at Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare Aburizal Bakrie, another businessman with a questionable track record, who analysts believe has the greatest chance of becoming chairman of the former ruling party, which suffered a crushing defeat in the recent legislative elections.

Tommy brushed aside questions concerning his past, including his conviction for ordering the July 2001 murder of Supreme Court Justice Syafiuddin Kartasasmita, who convicted him of fraud in 2000, saying he respected the justice system.

The fraud conviction was later overturned and though Tommy was convicted of murder in 2002, he was released after serving just four years.

“Let the Golkar members be the judges of whether I am truly guilty or whether the law had been manipulated against me,” he said.

Hadar Gumay, head of the Jakarta-based Center for Electoral Reform, told Bloomberg that Tommy’s foray into politics, if he was allowed to run, could hurt President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s attempt to attract investors to help revive the economy.

“This is embarrassing,” Hadar said. “Indonesia will be seen as a place where systems cannot be relied upon. People will think that anything can be twisted.”

Political analyst Sebastian Salang criticized the decision, questioning what Tommy could bring to Golkar. “We just know that he is the son of a former president and has a lot of money. He has no experience in how to grow and maintain a party,” Salang said.

“Now the question for all Golkar members is whether they are going to give their votes to a candidate who has a lot of money, or to a candidate who can give them new power to rise up and overcome the embarrassing loss in the last election.”

Salang also questioned the direction of Golkar itself if it allowed such a controversial figure to contest the chairmanship.

Yuddy Chrisnandy, who is also contesting the position and is promoting himself as a reformer, accompanied Tommy during the news conference. He congratulated Tommy on his decision to run.

“Now there are four candidates, two from the old generation and two from the young generation of Golkar,” he said.

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