New PDI chief gets govt recognition<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government has officially recognized Budi
\nHardjono as the new chairman of the conflict-ridden Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI).<\/p>\n
Budi was elected to the party's leadership on Wednesday during
\na congress marred by violent clashes and allegations of political
\nintrigue.<\/p>\n
Minister\/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung said yesterday in
\nUjungpandang, South Sulawesi, that the government respected and
\nendorsed the results of the congress held in Palu, Central
\nSulawesi. He called on the party to consolidate and prepare
\nitself for the general elections scheduled for next year.<\/p>\n
He insisted the government had made its stance clear long
\nbefore the congress began on Tuesday, namely that it would
\nrespect all decisions taken at the gathering, including those on
\nthe issue of the party's leadership.<\/p>\n
\"The government accepts the congress results with a hope that
\nPDI will take the necessary steps to consolidate and prepare for
\nthe next general election,\" Akbar was quoted by Antara as saying
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
Akbar is also chairman of Golkar, which was the dominant
\npolitical organization under former president Soeharto's regime.<\/p>\n
The congress elected Budi to replace Soerjadi, who was elected
\nin yet another government-backed congress held in the North
\nSumatra capital of Medan in 1996. Soerjadi's election forced
\npopular chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri out of the post.<\/p>\n
Akbar said the PDI congress had been held in accordance with
\nthe party's statute and that Budi won a majority of votes.<\/p>\n
Akbar also suggested that Megawati should establish a new
\npolitical party if she wants to continue to be politically
\nactive.<\/p>\n
The congress, scheduled to last for five days between Aug. 25
\nand Aug. 29, was cut short and ended yesterday morning as a
\nresult of clashes between supporters loyal to Megawati and those
\nwho back Soerjadi. Seventeen people, including five police
\nofficers, were injured.<\/p>\n
Megawati's aide Soetardjo Soeryogoeritno rejected Budi's
\nelection.<\/p>\n
\"The results of the congress will not make us back down from
\nour stance. We still don't recognize the congress, and we intend
\nto continue (with our struggle) as usual,\" he was quoted by
\nAntara as saying.<\/p>\n
Soetardjo also cold-shouldered Budi's offer of reconciliation
\nwith Megawati's camp. \"That's only words, the offer has
\nrepeatedly been made but never materialized,\" Soetardjo said.<\/p>\n
Soetardjo lashed out at President B.J. Habibie's government,
\nwhich he said was only a continuation of former president
\nSoeharto's regime.<\/p>\n
\"You can see that the Armed Forces (ABRI) is still applying
\nold policy by dividing the PDI through this Palu congress just
\nlike it did in Medan,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He speculated the attempts were driven by an agenda to prevent
\nthe PDI from challenging Golkar's dominant position.<\/p>\n
Clashes<\/p>\n
Kwik Kian Gie, another Megawati loyalist, said the government
\nshould be held responsible for the clashes because it had rigged
\nthe congress.<\/p>\n
He said that Megawati did not urge her supporters to go to
\nPalu and stage anti-Soerjadi demonstrations in a bid to disrupt
\nthe congress.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Gunawan Wirosaroyo, secretary to the Central Java
\nPDI chapter, said that the Megawati faction would maintain its
\ndemand that provincial authorities dismiss pro-Soerjadi PDI
\nbranches in the province.<\/p>\n
He threatened to call on thousands of Megawati supporters to
\nstage demonstrations until the government met their demand.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the chief of the Central Sulawesi provincial
\npolice, Col. K. Soebono Adi, said Palu had returned to normal
\nfollowing the conclusion of the congress yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"Palu residents have resumed their activities and all
\nparticipants in the congress have left the city,\" Adi said.<\/p>\n
He also said the police had confiscated molotov cocktails and
\nwould investigate where they came from.<\/p>\n
Maj. Gen. Suaidi Marasabessy, chief of the Wirabuana Military
\nCommand overseeing Sulawesi, said that at least 18 people are
\nunder intensive police investigation for their involvement in the
\nviolent scuffles.<\/p>\n
He refused to identify the 18, saying they were arrested for
\npossessing molotov cocktails.<\/p>\n
\"If the police have adequate evidence, they will be brought to
\ncourt,\" he said. He did not say where the 18 came from.
\n(byg\/har\/45\/rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/new-pdi-chief-gets-govt-recognition-1447893297",
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