Rocking Golkar

Two hours had passed since Aburizal Bakrie arrived at Agung Laksono's residence on Jalan Cipinang Cempedak II, East Jakarta, and the call for the sundown prayers was sounding. It was Wednesday two weeks ago, and the host greeted his guest with pecks on both cheeks. After a brief chitchat, Agung took Aburizal to the living room to enjoy jamblang rice, a traditional dish from Cirebon, West Java. Surrounded by Golkar Party politicians like Theo Sambuaga and Setya Novanto, the men were engrossed in conversation for about an hour.

There was no longer any sign of tension between them. Just a week earlier, the two were embroiled in a fierce debate at the Golkar plenary meeting held at the party headquarters in Slipi, West Jakarta. Agung pounded on the table several times when the party's deputy chief questioned Aburizal's decision to form a permanent coalition with the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party and fire three cadres. He also asked when the party's national congress (Munas) would be held. "I'm very stern about the Munas," Agung said two weeks ago.