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Viewing cable 07SURABAYA72, GOLKAR'S POLITICAL MACHINE APPARENTLY FAILS IN SOUTH

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07SURABAYA72 2007-11-13 09:28 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Surabaya
VZCZCXRO4492
RR RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJS #0072/01 3170928
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 130928Z NOV 07
FM AMCONSUL SURABAYA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0105
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 0095
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0043
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0041
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHJS/AMCONSUL SURABAYA 0107
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SURABAYA 000072 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, INR/EAP, DRL/PHD, INL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KISL KCOR ID
SUBJECT: GOLKAR'S POLITICAL MACHINE APPARENTLY FAILS IN SOUTH 
SULAWESI 
 
REF: A. SURABAYA 57 
 
     B. SURABAYA 39 
 
SURABAYA 00000072  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
This message is sensitive but unclassified please protect 
accordingly. 
 
1. (SBU)  Summary: Consulate General Surabaya Pol/Econ Officer, 
Pol/Econ Assistant and two Political Officers from Embassy 
Jakarta observed the first direct gubernatorial elections in 
South Sulawesi Province on November 5.  The apparent defeat of 
incumbent Amir Syam by his Vice Governor Syahrul Yasin Limpo 
shows that the much vaunted Golkar political machine can be 
beaten -- even if by less than one percent of the vote.  The 
result may also signal a dent in Jusuf Kalla's previously 
unquestioned supremacy in South Sulawesi.  Syahrul's star has 
risen very quickly in South Sulawesi politics, and his apparent 
election as governor suggests he may represent a local power 
center capable of challenging Kalla's network.  It is likely 
that the loser will challenge the results after official results 
are announced November 16.  End Summary. 
 
Syahrul Yasin Limpo Claims Victory 
------------------------------------- 
 
2. (SBU) While the official results of November 5 gubernatorial 
election in South Sulawesi will not be announced until November 
16, local media reports that challengers Syahrul Yasin Limpo and 
Agus Arifin Nu'mang have defeated incumbent Amir Syam and his 
running mate Mansyur Ramly by a narrow margin (less than 1%). 
Syahrul's apparent victory suggests that Golkar's political 
machine failed to rally voters despite Vice President Jusuf 
Kalla's well-publicized call to reelect Amir Syam and Mansyur 
Ramli, Kalla's brother in law (Ref A).   Syahrul, the current 
Vice Governor, and his running mate, Agus Arifin Nu'mang, house 
speaker of the South Sulawesi DPRD and former Golkar Secretary, 
received support from National Mandate Party (PAN), Indonesian 
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), and a selection of smaller 
parties.  As predicted by observers, the voters took advantage 
of the opportunity offered by the first direct elections to vote 
for their preferred candidates rather than follow party commands. 
 
3. (SBU) According to press reports November 13, with 22 of 23 
regencies/cities results confirmed, of 3.8 million votes cast, 
Syahrul Yasin Limpo and Agus Arifin Nu'mang received 1,431,544 
votes; Amin Syman and Mansyur Ramly received 1,405,144 votes; 
and Abdul Aziz Qahhar Mudzakkar and Mubyl Handaling were a 
distant third with 749,042 -- a margin of victory of just 0.7%. 
The Chairman of South Sulawesi election commission (KPU) refused 
to comment on the press reports but told ConGen Surabaya that 
the KPU would announce the results after completing a complete 
count and "recapitulation" of results from the regencies/cities 
on November 14.  On November 16, the KPU would officially 
announce the results and appoint the new governor and vice 
governor of South Sulawesi. 
 
What Does It Mean? 
------------------------ 
 
4. (SBU) Wahyuddin Halim, a lecturer at the Islamic Univesity of 
Alauddin in Makassar, told the Consulate November 13 that most 
observers believe that Syahrul won.  Wahyuddin observed that 
Amir Syam's defeat was a failure of Golkar's political machine. 
He explained that Golkar was overconfident and relied too 
heavily on a bureaucratic network with a long tradition of 
corruption.  Crediting the efforts of Prosperous Justice Party 
(PKS) cadres rather than Golkar cadres for the majority of votes 
for Amir Syam, Wahyuddin said Golkar's campaign funds were 
corrupted at the kabupaten (regency) level.  Wahyuddin added 
that many observers saw the results as a blow to Jusuf Kalla's 
supremacy in South Sulawesi. 
 
5. (SBU) Commenting on Syahrul's victory, Wahyuddin said the 
results were both positive and negative.  Syahrul is supported 
by a younger generation, suggesting that his administration will 
be more dynamic, creative, open to new ideas, and less 
bureaucratic.  Judhariksawan, a lecturer in the Law Faculty at 
Hasanuddin University, agreed that Syahrul's victory was 
positive.  He noted that as Vice Governor Syahrul played an 
important role in the administration, including in the policy 
making process, while Amin Syam's role appeared limited to 
ceremonial functions.  Wahyuddin cautioned, however, that 
because of the number of parties and factions which supported 
Syahrul's candidacy, power sharing may become a serious issue 
for Syahrul's administration. 
 
6. (SBU) With both Amin Syam and Syahrul claiming victory and 
 
SURABAYA 00000072  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
the margin of victory razor thin, it is likely that the final 
results will be contested by the losing ticket.  Amin Syam's 
supporters will likely challenge the votes in the Gowa regency, 
given that Syahrul was the former regent of Gowa.  Similarly, 
should Amin Syam win, Syahrul will likely challenge the votes in 
the Bone regency, the home area of Amin Syam.  Some observers 
have also speculated that Jusuf Kalla will push the KPU to 
investigate the results should Syahrul be declared the victor. 
MCCLELLAND