Megawati dismisses suggestion to split PDI<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The ousted leader of the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty (PDI), Megawati Soekarnoputri, yesterday rejected Minister
\nof Home Affairs Syarwan Hamid's proposal to split the party into
\ntwo new separate parties if its two warring factions failed to
\nsettle their differences.<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with chairman of the
\nNahdlatul Ulama (NU) Moslem organization Abdurrahman Wahid and
\nDili bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo, Megawati described the
\nminister's proposal as \"groundless and unacceptable\".<\/p>\n
\"I will not accept Syarwan Hamid's proposal since the
\nlegitimate PDI leadership is the one which I now head,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Syarwan on Thursday suggested the divided PDI camps be split
\ninto two parties if Megawati and Soerjadi's supporters could not
\nresolve their differences.<\/p>\n
When former president Soeharto resigned in May, the new
\ngovernment appeared to withdraw its rigid recognition of
\nSoerjadi's PDI leadership.<\/p>\n
Megawati, the eldest daughter of the late president Sukarno,
\nwas ousted as PDI leader in a government-backed congress in June
\n1996. She was replaced by Soerjadi.<\/p>\n
However she and her supporters refused to acquiesce, filing
\nlawsuits against Soerjadi and the congress' organizing committee.<\/p>\n
The suits are still going on, but a separate suit against the
\ngovernment was rejected by the courts.<\/p>\n
The influential Abdurrahman sided with Megawati.<\/p>\n
\"I'll support her for the party she now leads,\" Abdurrahman,
\nwho is better known as Gus Dur, said.<\/p>\n
He claimed that his support came after a long evaluation of
\nMegawati's dedication and political performance.<\/p>\n
However Abdurrahman's personal support cannot be regarded as
\nan endorsement from the 30-million strong organization which he
\nleads.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman pointed out that NU members were free to decide
\nhow to channel their own political aspirations.<\/p>\n
\"I have repeatedly said that NU members are free to choose and
\nvote for whatever political parties they choose,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He further dismissed speculation that he was behind the
\nestablishment of Partai Kebangkitan Bangsa (The National
\nResurgence Party) which was founded by leaders of the NU Central
\nJava chapter.<\/p>\n
\"It was completely the actions of NU members,\" he said.<\/p>\n
When asked about his past relationship with Soeharto's eldest
\ndaughter, Siti Hardijanti Rukmana, Abdurrahman said it was over.<\/p>\n
\"My relationship with Mbak Tutut (Hardijanti's nick name) was
\ntemporary.<\/p>\n
\"It was built up when Golkar was making preparations for last
\nyear's general election campaign,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman was seen accompanying Hardijanti on visits to a
\nnumber of Pondok Pesantren (Islamic Boarding Schools) in Central
\nand West Java and Lampung in the run up to last year's general
\nelection.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman said the decision to forge a relationship with
\nHardijanti was made after Megawati was expelled from her own
\nparty and unable to participate in last year's general
\nelection. (imn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/megawati-dismisses-suggestion-to-split-pdi-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}