Dismissal of PDI-P reformers would backfire: Kwik<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle's (PDI-P) decision to
\nexpel 12 members of a dissenting group opposed to Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri's leadership is likely to deepen the party's
\ninternal conflict, says a respected party member.<\/p>\n
The move will disrupt PDI-P's chances of winning upcoming
\ndirect elections of local executive heads and the 2009 general
\nelection, said former party think tank chief Kwik Kian Gie.<\/p>\n
He argued that the people dismissed still had significant
\ninfluence within the country's second biggest party.<\/p>\n
"It will only deepen the conflict because they will not remain
\nsilent. They have financial resources and power," Kwik stated
\nafter meeting with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on
\nWednesday to discuss efforts to combat corruption.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, the PDI-P central board announced the dismissal of
\n12 dissenting members who had been urging reform within the
\nparty.<\/p>\n
The expelled members are oil businessman Arifin Panigoro,
\nformer state minister of state enterprises Laksamana Sukardi,
\nSophan Sophiaan, Roy B.B. Janis, Didi Supriyanto, Postdam
\nHutasoit, Tjiandra Wijaya, Pieters Sutanto, Pius Lustrilanang,
\nAngelina Pattiasina, Imam Mundjiat and Sukowaluyo Mintohardjo.<\/p>\n
They have been expelled from the party for refusing to accept
\nthe results of the PDI-P congress in April in Bali, which
\nunanimously reelected Megawati as party leader for the 2005-2010
\nperiod.<\/p>\n
The reformers blamed Megawati for the party's defeat in last
\nyear's legislative and presidential elections and said she should
\nnot have been reelected.<\/p>\n
Roy, who leads the reform-minded group, has claimed that his
\nside is supported by many of the party's provincial chapters and
\nregional branches that want the party's image restored ahead of
\nthe 2009 elections.<\/p>\n
The group and a number of PDI-P chapters are fighting in court
\nagainst the legitimacy of the party's recent congress that
\ngranted Megawati prerogatives that they say are against the
\nparty's statutes.<\/p>\n
Such a condition, Kwik said, will cause tension within the
\nparty during the upcoming regional elections, which will start in
\nJune.<\/p>\n
"If the conflict is not brought to an end, the party will face
\na worse condition," he warned.<\/p>\n
Due to their dismissals, those expelled who serve as House of
\nRepresentatives members will likely be recalled from the
\nlegislature by the party.<\/p>\n
However, House Speaker Agung Laksono said on Wednesday he had
\nnot received a letter from the PDI-P recommending that its
\ndismissed members be recalled from the legislature.<\/p>\n
According to Kwik, many PDI-P members disagree with the
\ncentral board's decision to expel the 12.<\/p>\n
"They are forced to obey any decision by the central board
\nbecause (their existence in the party) equates with their income.
\nThey are afraid of being dismissed from the party. They are
\nanxious," he said.<\/p>\n
They conveyed their grievances during the PDI-P national
\ncongress in Bali, said Kwik, who acknowledged that he was no
\nlonger involved with the party's business, nor had any contact
\nwith its top executives.<\/p>\n
Kwik, who initiated the formation of a separate wing to
\ncampaign for internal reform within the party, also said he had
\nstopped pushing for a leadership change because the party's
\ncentral board still maintained members the "gang".<\/p>\n
He was apparently referring to the three top members, namely
\nSucipto, Pramono Anung and Gunawan Wirosarojo, whom he blamed for
\nPDI-P's defeat in the 2004 elections, instead of Megawati. Of the
\nthree, only Gunawan has been excluded from the current central
\nboard.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/dismissal-of-pdi-p-reformers-would-backfire-kwik-1447893297",
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