Internal rift within beleaguered PPP widens<\/p>\n
Annastashya Emmanuelle, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The internal rift within the beleaguered United Development
\nParty (PPP), mainly between the veterans and the newcomers, is
\nwidening as evidenced by fresh demands from the party's youth
\nwing to move its congress up to 2003.<\/p>\n
The youth wing, represented by Lukman Hakim Syaifuddin,
\ninsisted on Tuesday that PPP's central board should move forward
\nits congress to 2003 so as not to violate the party's platform.<\/p>\n
However, PPP's secretary general Alimarwan Hanan coolly
\nresponded to the demand on Wednesday, saying that the party bore
\nno resentment over differences voiced by the youth wing.<\/p>\n
\"Such an aspiration is fine. Nevertheless, any charges must
\nhave a legal basis,\" Alimarwan said, referring to the youth
\nwing's intention to take its demands to court.<\/p>\n
Supporters of PPP chairman Hamzah Haz, who wish to see Hamzah
\n-- also the country's vice president -- remain in power, have
\ndecided to hold the next party congress in 2004, the same year as
\nthe country's general elections.<\/p>\n
The central board's insistence on postponing the party's
\ncongress until 2004 sparked frustration among many PPP members,
\nand led noted Muslim cleric Zainuddin MZ to declare the
\nestablishment of a splinter party -- PPP Reformasi -- on Jan. 21.<\/p>\n
In the party's 29th anniversary celebration last week, Hamzah
\nurged the splinter group to reunite and strengthen the Muslim-
\nbased political party.<\/p>\n
He, however, did not mention any intention from his side to
\nreconcile the differences over the party's congress.<\/p>\n
There has been speculation that the dispute between Hamzah and
\nZainuddin was the consequence of a power struggle mainly over the
\nissue of drafting the legislator line-up for the 2004 general
\nelections.<\/p>\n
PPP, which garnered the third highest number of votes in the
\n1999 general elections, is expected to fare poorly in the
\nupcoming elections due to the split as well as the ongoing
\ninternal rift with the youth wing.<\/p>\n
Alimarwan, however, denied any further splintering from PPP,
\nclaiming that the provincial chapters would remain with the
\nHamzah version of PPP.<\/p>\n
\"In my visits to the provinces, I see no indication of a split
\nin PPP,\" Alimarwan said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/internal-rift-within-beleaguered-ppp-widens-1447893297",
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