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Tommy Suharto made a dramatic return to the country’s political stage on Tuesday, declaring his readiness to run for chairman of the Golkar Party, the political vehicle used by his autocrat father who ruled Indonesia for more than three decades.

Tommy, whose full name is Hutomo Mandala Putra, has kept a low public profile since being released on parole from prison in October 2006, presumably to concentrate on his business interests, but now he is professing a higher calling to return to the nationalist party once controlled by late President Suharto.

Golkar, currently in political disarray after a disappointing showing in both the legislative and presidential elections this year, will hold its national congress in Pekanbaru, Riau, from Oct. 4. The congress is crucial in deciding the party leadership for the next five years.

“This is the right time for me to return to the politics,” Tommy said in a signed press release.

Although he has not been actively involved in Golkar for about 10 years, Tommy said he believed he still had a chance in the run for the party chairmanship.

“I think I was called on to return to Golkar. I set my targets high, including in politics,” he said.

Tommy said his eagerness to chair the party was triggered by a sense of duty and his close relationships with many senior Golkar officials.

“I have a moral obligation to help advance the party, which was founded and built by my father,” he said.

Ciu Syafei, a member of Tommy’s campaign team, said Tommy had decided a month ago to pursue a political career.

“This is really serious because Mas Tommy wants to do something more for this country,” Ciu told the Jakarta Globe. “He has worked in business, but to do something bigger for the country he realizes that he needs a political vehicle.”

Ciu said his team was now developing a strategy to strengthen its party networks in preparation for October’s congress. “We’re ready to face whoever the candidates are,” he said.

More senior Golkar members have already declared their candidacies for the chairmanship: advisory board member Aburizal Bakrie, advisory board chairman Surya Paloh, and two up-and-coming young party members, Yuddy Chrisnandi and Ferry Mursyidan Baldan.
Yuddy and Ferry welcomed Tommy’s announcement, saying that the 47-year-old’s candidacy would make the competition more interesting.

“The fact that there are many young Golkar politicians competing means that regeneration is running well within the party,” Ferry said.

However, Tommy faces an immediate obstacle to his political ambitions. Golkar’s internal regulations stipulate that candidates must be party members for at least 10 years and have held a leadership position within the past five years.

“He can’t run to be party chairman unless the party’s basic rules were amended,” said Golkar’s deputy secretary general, Rully Chairul Azwar.

Tommy was convicted in 2002 of ordering the murder of Supreme Court Justice Syafiuddin Kartasasmita after he found him guilty on corruption charges.