Meeting called to decide Arifin's fate<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
\nPerjuangan) faction chief Arifin Panigoro saw his fate hang by a
\nthread on Thursday as a party meeting was called in response to a
\nseries of his controversial moves.<\/p>\n
Without elaborating, the party's deputy secretary general
\nPramono Anung said the internal executive meeting was scheduled
\nto take place on Friday.<\/p>\n
\"I can't say anything now, but we will have an executive
\nmeeting tomorrow (on Friday) on the matter. That's all I can
\nsay,\" Pramono told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Thursday, a group of PDI Perjuangan legislators
\nexpressed resentment with Arifin's latest maneuvering on
\nWednesday, when he joined his counterparts from four other
\nparties in censuring public calls for the dissolution of the
\nGolkar Party for its alleged attempts to revive the New Order
\nregime.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan legislators said Arifin, a noted oil
\nbusinessman, was not representing the party's faction at the
\nHouse in spite of his claim.<\/p>\n
\"For me Arifin's remark yesterday (on Wednesday) was of
\npersonal interest. Our official stand over a matter should have
\ngone through a faction meeting. Some of us have rejected his
\nstatement,\" one of the legislators, Permadi, said.<\/p>\n
Permadi said it was very unlikely for his party to defend
\nGolkar, whom he said had a role in the government's oppression of
\nopposition parties throughout the 32 years of New Order rule.
\nGolkar was the ruling party during the spell.<\/p>\n
\"(Since) PDI Perjuangan was the victim of Golkar, there is no
\nway we would come to their defense,\" Permadi remarked.<\/p>\n
He admitted the Friday meeting would discuss the matter, but
\nhe was uncertain whether Arifin's chairmanship post would be at
\nstake during the gathering.<\/p>\n
Permadi said opposition against Arifin had surfaced over the
\npast few months, and some 90 out of the faction's 153 legislators
\nat the House had signed a petition demanding Arifin's
\nreplacement.<\/p>\n
\"We don't like having such a person like Arifin named as our
\nfaction chairman. It's not a matter of personal hatred, but
\nobedience to our party's policies,\" Permadi contended.<\/p>\n
A source told the Post that the largest party is divided into
\nthree groups.<\/p>\n
The first group comprises hardline combatants of President
\nAbdurrahman Wahid, who include Arifin, Julius Usman and Zulvan
\nLindan. The second group consists of Abdurrahman's defenders,
\namong them are Panda Nababan and Dimyati Hartono. The third
\ngroup, who opt to take a moderate approach, include Jacob Tobing.<\/p>\n
The demand for Arifin's resignation came from the second and
\nthird of these groups.<\/p>\n
However, the source said, the party's chairwoman Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri was protecting Arifin, although she questioned his
\nstaunch support for Abdurrahman's exit and a plan to accelerate
\nconstitutional steps to impeach the President. (dja)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/meeting-called-to-decide-arifins-fate-1447893297",
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