Hamzah appeals to Zainudin to reconcile<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
United Development Party (PPP) chairman Hamzah Haz has appealed
\nto a splinter group led by noted cleric Zainuddin MZ to reunite
\nand strengthen the Muslim-based political party.<\/p>\n
However he made no mention of the splinter group's demand that
\nthe party's congress be held in 2003 as originally planned,
\ninstead of 2004 as already decided by Hamzah's supporters on the
\ncentral board.<\/p>\n
Hamzah, who is also vice president, said that his faction
\nenjoyed more support than Zainuddin's United Development Party of
\nReform (PPP Reformasi).<\/p>\n
\"I hope fellow politicians in PPP Reformasi will reunite with
\nthe PPP,\" Hamzah told nearly 40,000 supporters during the party's
\n29th anniversary celebrations organized by PPP Jakarta Chapter at
\nthe Bung Karno sports stadium here on Sunday.<\/p>\n
He emphasized that the party he chaired was the original PPP
\nresulting from the fusion of four Islamic parties on Jan. 5,
\n1973. Namely, Nahdlatul Ulama, the Indonesian Muslim Party
\n(Parmusi), the Indonesian Islamic Syariah Party (PSII) and the
\nIslamic Party (PERTI).<\/p>\n
Hamzah added his party would always follow the ideas and goals
\nof the Muslim ulemas.<\/p>\n
\"We want fellow politicians in PPP Reformasi to return and to
\npreserve ukhuwah Islamiyah (Muslim brotherhood),\" he said.<\/p>\n
Noted Muslim cleric Zainuddin, a former PPP leader, declared
\nthe foundation of PPP Reformasi last Jan. 21 after demands to
\nhold the party's congress in 2003 were ignored by Hamzah and his
\ndie-hard supporters who wanted to cling to power till the general
\nelections in 2004.<\/p>\n
Some analysts, however, speculated that the split stemmed from
\nthe battle for power and influence in drafting the legislator
\nline-up for the 2004 general elections. Whoever holds the party
\nchairmanship before the general elections in 2004 is going to
\nplay a decisive role in choosing the party's candidates for 2004.<\/p>\n
The split within PPP is likely to affect the performance of
\nPPP in the next general elections. It came third in 1999's
\ngeneral elections.<\/p>\n
Zainuddin, who was supported by 17 party leaders and
\nprovincial legislators from 29 provinces, has argued that PPP was
\ndominated by veteran politicians of the New Order regime and
\ntherefore had to be reformed.<\/p>\n
But Hamzah insisted that the executive board of the party had
\nalways followed the internal rules of the party in making
\ndecisions, including the decision to delay the party's congress
\nuntil after the general elections in 2004.<\/p>\n
He also dismissed suggestions that PPP was the party of the
\nauthoritarian New Order regime, saying that the party was
\nmarginalized during the New Order.<\/p>\n
\"Those who say that PPP is the party of the New Order regime
\nhas no idea about the struggle of the party,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Hamzah said that during the New Order regime no PPP cadre held
\neven the position of Ketua RT (neighborhood chief) due to the
\nmarginalization.<\/p>\n
Hamzah also told that crowd that there was an urgent need for
\nthe government to focus on the improvement of the education
\nsector.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that during his visits to provinces he had told
\nregional leaders to allocate more funds for education.<\/p>\n
During the ceremony Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso proposed the
\nestablishment of casinos but Hamzah strongly rejected the plan
\nsaying that those who want to gamble should go overseas.<\/p>\n
The ceremony was also attended by former cooperatives minister
\nZarkasih Noer, PPP legislators Faisal Baasir, Chozin Chumaidy,
\nand former legislator Hussein Umar.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hamzah-appeals-to-zainudin-to-reconcile-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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