Laoly Issues Decree Recognizing Bakrie-Led Golkar Faction For Six Months

Jakarta (Antara Bali)- Justice and Human Rights Minister Yasona Laoly has issued a decree granting legal recognition for a period of six months to the Golkar leadership under Aburizal Bakrie elected during a Riau congress.

Minister Laoly announced here on Thursday that he had decided to revive the decree of the Justice and Human Rights Minister No. M.HH-21.AH.11.01 of 2012 dated December 4, 2012, which legally recognized the Golkar leadership elected at the Riau congress held in 2009.

The new Decree No. M.HH-21.AH.11.01 of 2016, valid for a period of six months, provides an opportunity to the Golkar Party to make preparations for another congress or an extraordinary congress, which is democratic, fair, and will lead to reconciliation, the minister pointed out.

Bakrie, who had been the Golkar Party's chairman for the 2009-2014 term, was reelected as general chairman for the 2014-2019 period by acclamation in a congress held in Bali on Dec. 3, 2014.

Laksono had later organized a congress in Ancol on December 6-8, 2014, which elected him as the rival chairman of Golkar, leading to a split in the party.

The justice minister in a decree only recognized the Laksono-led Golkar leadership, but in late December 2015, he revoked the decree after the Supreme Court gave a verdict in favor of the Bakrie-led Golkar faction. (WDY)