Golkar Party Yogyakarta branches declare Sultan as VP candidate

Going public: A resident walks by a poster of Golkar Party chairman Aburizal Bakrie and Yogyakarta governor Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X in Yogyakarta on Sunday. Up to 78 Golkar branches in Yogyakarta declared their support for the Sultan running as the party’s vice president candidate pairing Aburizal for the 2014 General Election in Imogiri, Bantul, today. (JP/Slamet Susanto)

Up to 78 Golkar Party branches officially declared Sunday their support for Yogyakarta Governor Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X to run as the vice president candidate pairing Golkar Party chairman Aburizal Bakrie for the 2014 General Election.

Golkar Party central executive board chief Priyo Budi Santoso was also present during the declaration, which took place in Kebon Agung field, Imogiri, Bantul.

“[Sultan] is the best. If you disagree, try mentioning another name comparable to Sultan,” Golkar Yogyakarta chapter chairman Gandung Pardiman said.

Priyo said that this was the first time the party officially proposed a name to pair the party chairman for the upcoming presidential election.

However, the central executive board office would also consider other names, saying that the final decision would be made during the party’s national meeting in the end of June, when the party will officially name Aburizal as its president candidate. (swd)