SBY named as new chairman of the ruling party

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, NUSA DUA - Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) was appointed as the new general chairman of the Democratic Party until 2015 in an extraordinary meeting on Saturday.

The party "has decided to name Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono the general chairman of the Democratic Party," Amir Syamsuddin, the chairman of the meeting, announced at the meeting held following the resignation of former chairman Anas Urbaningrum after he was named suspect in a corruption case by the Indonesian Corruption Eradication Commission.

SBY had expressed willingness to take the post upon two conditions namely that he would only do it temporarily to salvage the party while he would refer a number of tasks to an executive chairman and supreme council representatives. Amir said "he (Yudhoyono) is willing to take the post only temporarily for maximally two years for the purpose of consolidation and salvaging the party."

He said SBY was also only willing to become the party`s general chairman if an executive chairman was appointed to help him carry out his tasks. "Almost all of the tasks of the general chairman would be carried out by the executive chairman," he said.

He said SBY's tasks as an advisory board chairman would also be referred to the supreme council deputy chairman. Many district/city and provincial chapters have demanded SBY to take over the party`s leadership to salvage the party due to internal problems especially after the party`s electability dropped. SBY has been considered by many party cadres as the only person who could restore public confidence in the party ahead of the general elections in 2014.

SBY's new position as the party's chairman draws some criticism. The critics warn the danger of conflict of interest as currently SBY is the chairman of the party's advisory board and also the president of Indonesia.