Cracks show within Lampung's PDI Perjuangan<\/p>\n
Oyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post, Bandar Lampung<\/p>\n
Another political rebellion has emerged from the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), with several party
\nofficials in Lampung defying orders from the party's executive
\nbranch regarding the province's gubernatorial candidates.<\/p>\n
In a decree issued by PDI Perjuangan chairwoman Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri, the party's local chapter has been ordered to
\nsupport Oemarsono, the outgoing governor from the Golkar Party as
\na gubernatorial candidate, and Syamsuria Ryacudu, the brother of
\nArmy Chief of Staff Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu, as a deputy
\ngubernatorial candidate.<\/p>\n
However, a number of legislators in the party's local chapter
\nhave defied the decree and nominated Alzier Dianis Thabranie as a
\ngubernatorial candidate and Ansory Yunus as a deputy
\ngubernatorial candidate.<\/p>\n
\"We agreed to nominate the last pair since they have won the
\nsupport of locals, mostly party members,\" Lampung PDI Perjuangan
\nchapter chairman Abbas Hadisunyoto said on Saturday.<\/p>\n
He further accused the legislators of taking bribes from the
\ncandidates in support for their nomination.<\/p>\n
\"We did not take any bribes, that accusation is groundless,\"
\nAbbas said.<\/p>\n
President Megawati, through the decree, warned against a
\npolitical rebellion, saying that the party would nominate only
\none gubernatorial candidate and one deputy gubernatorial
\ncandidate and those ignoring the decree would suffer party
\nsanctions.<\/p>\n
But several party figures and legislators disappointed with
\nthe party's policy have ignored the decree and called on the
\nparty to listen to the public's political aspirations instead of
\ntheir personal interests.<\/p>\n
\"We protest the order, because we had decided on other
\ncandidates. We will not support Oemarsono,\" the party's North
\nLampung branch chairman, Hendro Prianto, said.<\/p>\n
Megawati was widely criticized when she supported the
\nnomination of Sutiyoso in the recent Jakarta gubernatorial
\nelection. Sutiyoso is accused of playing a major role in the
\nbloody takeover of PDI Perjuangan headquarters on July 27, 1996,
\nin which hundreds of Megawati's supporters were believed to have
\nbeen killed.<\/p>\n
The party also supported the nomination of Golkar legislator
\nNurdin Halid in the South Sulawesi gubernatorial election for
\nunclear reasons. Nurdin was defeated in the election.<\/p>\n
Megawati's choices have been similar to those of either the
\nIndonesian Military (TNI) or Golkar Party, two opponents of the
\nreform drive.<\/p>\n
Separately, a political analyst from Lampung University,
\nNanang Trenggono, said that the party's internal rift may hamper
\nthe reelection of Oemarsono as governor.<\/p>\n
A protest opposing Oemarsono's reelection has been held in
\nBandar Lampung over the past few days, with demonstrators vowing
\nto continue rallies against him.<\/p>\n
The protesters urged local councillors to take Oemarsono's
\nname off the candidate list.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/cracks-show-within-lampungs-pdi-perjuangan-1447893297",
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