More retired servicemen join Megawati's PDI camp<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): As the Megawati Soekarnoputri faction of the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party (PDI) continues to prepare for its
\nplanned party congress in Bali, more retired Armed Forces (ABRI)
\nofficers and national figures have joined and pledged their
\nsupport for the ousted leader.<\/p>\n
Three hundred new PDI members, including 161 retired officers
\nof the Navy's elite Marine Corps, three high-ranking retired Army
\nofficers, and dozens of businesspeople and noted figures, were
\ninstalled in a ceremony held at the party's headquarters in
\nLenteng Agung subdistrict, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
They included freedom fighters for Indonesian independence
\nin 1945 Lt. Gen. (ret) Pamoe Rahardjo, four retired Marine
\nbrigadier-generals -- Joko Supriadi, Zainal Rasad, Abdul Majid
\nand R.G.M. Soegiharto -- chairman of the Indonesian Communion of
\nChurches Eka Darma Putra and Hasyim Wahid of the Nahdlatul Ulama
\n(NU) Moslem organization.<\/p>\n
Also installed on Saturday were lawyer Amin Aryoso,
\nbusinessman Meilono Suwondo and Agus Hari Subagio, and former
\nsecretary-general of the Golkar-affiliated MKGR Youths
\norganization Imam Nusanto.<\/p>\n
Present at the ceremony were Roeslan Abdoelgani, a former
\ngovernment advisor on the Pancasila ideology, former student
\nactivist Julius Usman, film star and PDI official Sophan
\nSophiaan. Eka Darma Putra said in the ceremony that PDI was far
\nfrom a strange name for him.<\/p>\n
\"I voted for PDI ever since its establishment in 1973. I only
\nmissed one, the 1997 general election, when I punched for all the
\nthree election contestants -- Golkar, PDI, and the United
\nDevelopment Party (PPP),\" he said, referring to how many people
\ndisenchanted with the available three choices reportedly spoiled
\ntheir ballots.<\/p>\n
Pamoe Rahardjo said he had long supported Megawati's political
\nstruggle, but stressed that it was only now that he could join
\nher party. A number of retired generals have said retired
\nofficers and family members of active members should no longer be
\ntied to the ruling Golkar party.<\/p>\n
The chairman of the PDI's Jakarta chapter loyal to Megawati,
\nRoy B.B. Janis, said PDI should have the courage to nominate its
\nparty chairperson in the presidential election next year. \"It's
\nnot because we'll nominate our leader Megawati, but this should
\nbe considered as a breakthrough in the country's political
\nsystem.\"<\/p>\n
\"It's been more than 30 years that the country has never had
\nmore than one presidential candidate and the then president
\nSoeharto remain unchallenged in the past six elections,\" he said.<\/p>\n
On the possibility of establishing a new party name to replace
\nthe 25-year old PDI, Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno, deputy chairman of
\nthe splintered PDI leadership said that Megawati would not
\nreplace her party's name at the upcoming Bali congress.<\/p>\n
The authorities have said they will grant a permit to the
\ncongress only if the name PDI is not used, as the government only
\nrecognizes the leadership of Budi Hardjono.<\/p>\n
Soetardjo said after attending the installment of Sri Sultan
\nHamengkubuwono X as the new Yogyakarta governor that the congress
\ndiscussions would include the party's strategy to win the general
\nelection scheduled for May next year.<\/p>\n
Support for the Bali congress continues to pour in.<\/p>\n
In Semarang, Megawati supporters have already hoisted the
\nparty's red banners and flags throughout the city.<\/p>\n
The banners, inscribed with \"Bless the Bali congress\", and
\nthousands of pictures of Megawati and her father, the late
\npresident Sukarno, have also been seen in the city's streets.<\/p>\n
Local leader of Megawati's faction, Ismojo Subroto, said
\nlocals have also provided free transportation for people
\nintending to attend the congress. Hundreds of supporters departed
\nfor Bali Saturday from Medan, North Sumatra. (44\/har\/21\/byg\/imn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/more-retired-servicemen-join-megawatis-pdi-camp-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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