TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The absence of the Chairman of the Functional Group Party (Golkar) Aburizal "Ical" Bakrie during the declaration of Prabowo Subianto and Hatta Rajasa for presidential candidate has raised some questions. Ical's absence was later confirmed by Golkar board Mahyudin, saying that Prabowo asked Ical not to come to the declaration.
The request came as as a form of respect from Prabowo that as a senior and a leader of a great party, Ical should not bother to come to the declaration. Instead, Golkar sent its secretary general Idrus Marham. Regardless, Prabowo, along with other members of coalition, paid a visit to Ical's house in Mangunsarkoro after the declaration.
Unlike yesterday, Ical came along with Prabowo-Hatta when the pair signed up as presidential candidate to the General Election Commission earlier today. Aburizal also attended another declaration at Proclamation Text Museum in Diponegoro, Jakarta.
IRA GUSLINA SUFA