The Roles of Akbar Tandjung in Saving Golkar Party at the Times of Political Crises 1998-1999

Mega Ayu Lestari

Abstract

This article discusses the roles of Akbar Tanjung in saving Golkar Party at the political crises times 1998-1999, emphasizing on the political aspects. The goal of this study is to know how Akbar Tanjung brought successfully Golkar as the second winner in the 1999 General Election, so his party was safe from the threat of liquidation and various political intimidations in the post reformation. The approach used in this study is a political approach relates with power (practical politics) and  the understanding of society life in various political situations. The theories applied in this study are the theories by Miriam Budiarjo and Maurice Duverger including the definition of political party, the function of political party, the classification of political party, and the goal of political party. This study uses a historical method that consists of heuristic, criticism of sources (both literary study and field study), interpretation and historiography. The election of Akbar Tanjung as the Chairman of Golkar in Extraordinary General Congress in the post reformation is a hard challenge for him to maintain the existence of this party from the public indictment on the behalf of reformist faction that articulates continually its liquidation. At this times, Golkar also lost the major supporting pillars, namely bureaucracy and military, because these two factions were the stakes of Golkar’s victory in every General Election under the New Order regime for the sake of Suharto’s authority. In the post reformation, the renewal of political aspects were conducted for preparing 1999 General Election. Therefore, Akbar Tanjung did the changes of party’s policies as the strategy of victory in 1999 General Election. One of the most important changes was changing the old ideology into the new ideology called the new paradigm. Golkar with the new paradigm have given a chance to activists and groups of society that resisted against it at the previous times caused by the old paradigm. This strategy made many activists interested for becoming the cadres of this party. They were vigorous in socializing this party at 1999 General Election. The strategy of this new paradigm was one of factors Golkar getting many votes in 1999 General Election and becoming the second winner, after Indonesian Democracy Party-Struggle. The result of Golkar’s final votes at 1999 General Election has made this party has been able to exist until now.

Keywords: Akbar Tanjung, Golkar Party, 1999 General Election, New Paradigm