East Java rejects PDI rival board<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The establishment of a new rival executive
\nboard for the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) has failed to
\ngenerate support among many of those named to it because they
\nwere never consulted, nor informed about their inclusion.<\/p>\n
PDI's East Java Chapter gave the strongest reaction to
\nannouncement. The chapter called on party chairperson Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri to take punitive action against Gerry Mbatemooy and
\nhis colleagues for their defiant move.<\/p>\n
Sutjipto, the chairman of the chapter, was quoted by Antara
\nas saying that no one should take Gerry's action seriously and
\nthat all should consider the rival board as nothing but a joke.<\/p>\n
Those named onto the rival board are \"the same old people
\nwho always caused trouble in the party\", Sutjipto said, pointing
\nout several names of people on the list, who made a similar
\nattempt to take over the party's leadership several years ago.<\/p>\n
Gerry, whose position in Megawati's board fell into doubt
\nafter he attempted to install one of Megawati's staunchest
\nopponents as East Java chapter chairman, announced the line-up of
\nthe rival board on Thursday, saying that he was making the move
\nto save the party, which has been undermined by allegations that
\nsome of its leaders were former communists.<\/p>\n
He named Yusuf Merukh, a senior PDI leader, who was
\nsidelined by Megawati, as the new party chairman, and himself,
\nSajid Soetjoro, Latief Poedjosakti, Edwin Hernawan Soekawati,
\nClara Sitompul, Djufri, Purwanto D.W., Yahya Theo, Sardjito
\nDharsoeki, Edi Djunaedi, Eddy Sukirman, Syamsi Hasan, Anang
\nHairin Noor, Alex Asmasubrata and Marcus Wauran as deputy
\nchairmen.<\/p>\n
F. As. Alwi was appointed as secretary-general. His deputies
\ninclude Suparman Adiwijaya, Soepardan, Endung Soetrisno, Udi
\nSuradi, M.Y. Soleh, Rusli Dahlan, Maswan, Sri Astati, Repita
\nSilalahi and Lambertus Gainadara.<\/p>\n
Gerry named Mrs. Pangerapan as treasurer. Vice treasurers
\nare Neneng Amalia Dendawacana, Soetjipto and Abdul Djafar.<\/p>\n
However, some of those named to the board said they were not
\nconsulted beforehand and were reluctant to comment on their
\ninclusion until after they assessed the situation.<\/p>\n
Alex Asmasoebrata, who played a key role in installing
\nMegawati at the PDI congress in December 1993, said that the move
\nby Gerry and his friends reflected the disappointment of some PDI
\nmembers in the current party leadership.<\/p>\n
\"Under Megawati, PDI has become weak,\" he told Antara.<\/p>\n
Alex, the incumbent, who lost the election for the
\nchairmanship post of the PDI chapter in Jakarta this year, said
\nhe was never asked whether or not he would be willing to sit on
\nthe new board.<\/p>\n
Gerry's move came only a few days after the West Java
\nmilitary command announced its finding that the chairman of PDI's
\nchapter in West Java was widely suspected to have past communist
\nlinks.<\/p>\n
The allegation against Djadjang Kunaedi, who is supported by
\nMegawati, seriously dented the party leadership.<\/p>\n
Yusuf Merukh was quoted by Republika daily as saying that
\nthe formation of the rival board was a serious move to save the
\nparty and to relieve Megawati of her burden.<\/p>\n
It is not \"an end of the year joke\", said Yusuf, the
\nchairman of the new rival board.<\/p>\n
He alleged that there are around 40 members of PDI in West
\nJava who are suspected to have past communist links and around
\n300 in PDI throughout all of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Gerry said the new board plans to move in to the party
\nheadquarters on Jl. Diponegoro 58, Jakarta. (pwn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/east-java-rejects-pdi-rival-board-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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