Crunch Time for Golkar

WHEN the sun rose on Idul Fitri, Golkar Party's Team of Ten had only completed half of its task. Over the previous three days, the team had labored to agree on candidates to run for 269 posts in the elections of regional heads (pilkada) set for December this year. "The two sides have agreed on 131 of the candidates," Lamhot Sinaga, a Team of Ten member and Golkar Deputy Secretary-General in the Agung Laksono camp, told Tempo two weeks ago.

Debate continues to fly over the remaining candidates, and neither side looks likely to budge from their favored politicians. Meanwhile, the July 26-28 deadline for registering candidates at the Regional General Election Commissions is right around the corner.

July 28, 2015