Overthrown PDI board establishes campaign team<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The overthrown board of the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI) defied a government ban on Saturday when
\nit established an election campaign committee for the 1997
\ngeneral elections.<\/p>\n
Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno, a loyalist of ousted PDI chief
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri, said the committee would be responsible
\nfor the party's election campaign. It would also attempt to
\nsupervise various election stages, organized by the official
\nGeneral Elections Institute, by ballot counting and preparing
\npeople to monitor voting at poll sites.<\/p>\n
\"We are now preparing themes and materials to be put forward
\nin our campaign,\" Soetardjo said.<\/p>\n
Some 100 people are included on the committee, including
\nMegawati, secretary-general Alexander Litaay and Megawati's
\nbrother Guruh Soekarnoputra.<\/p>\n
Despite the government's refusal to recognize it, Megawati's
\nboard continues to prepare as a regular poll contestant.<\/p>\n
The other political groups contesting the general election are
\nthe dominant Golkar and the Moslem-oriented United Development
\nParty (PPP). The government has picked the board of Soerjadi,
\nelected in a rebel congress last month, to represent the PDI in
\nthe coming election.<\/p>\n
The campaigning session will start on April 9, 1997, and end
\non May 23, 1997. The date of the election will be determined by a
\npresidential decree, but is expected to be at the end of May
\n1997.<\/p>\n
The minority party has been plagued with leadership conflicts
\nfor the past three years, during which time the government
\nclearly stated its support for Megawati. The rift came to a head
\nearlier this year when 16 of the 27 members on Megawati's
\nexecutive board dissented and organized a rebel congress last
\nmonth.<\/p>\n
Government officials not only gave financial assistance to the
\ncongress in Medan, North Sumatra, but endorsed Soerjadi as \"the
\nlawful chief\" of the party. The government also barred Megawati
\nfrom representing the party at next year's election, a move which
\nhas drawn public criticism and triggered waves of protest across
\nthe country.<\/p>\n
Megawati was elected chairwoman of the party by popular vote
\nin December 1993, and her leadership still retains strong
\ngrassroots support. Her call on the government to retract its
\nrecognition of the Medan congress and that it stop meddling in
\nthe party's affairs has been echoed by a number of observers.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, Soetardjo insisted that Megawati was still the
\nlegitimate PDI chief and that her camp would go on with its plan
\nto participate in the general elections despite government
\nopposition.<\/p>\n
\"We'll continue with our plan to help President Soeharto, the
\ncoordinator for the 1997 general elections, make the general
\nelections a success,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Party executives under Megawati's leadership are still
\nregistered as members of the central committee for general
\nelections.<\/p>\n
The bickering has yet to be settled, as Soerjadi has not been
\nreceived by President Soeharto, a political tradition in
\nIndonesia that signifies final government approval.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Soerjadi's secretary-general Buttu Hutapea told The
\nJakarta Post that his camp had also established a similar
\ncampaign committee.<\/p>\n
\"We established a 100-person campaign committee on July 8,\"
\nHutapea said. (imn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/overthrown-pdi-board-establishes-campaign-team-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}