PDI coming of age?<\/p>\n
Sighs of relief are no doubt being heaved all across
\nIndonesia, and around the power centers in Jakarta in particular,
\nthat the fifth party congress of PDI Perjuangan -- the Megawati-
\nled faction of the Indonesian Democratic Party -- ended in Bali
\nover the weekend without any unrest worth mentioning.<\/p>\n
Indeed, instead of turning into an arena of chaos and trouble
\nand scaring away dollar-carrying tourists, as many government
\nofficials in Jakarta (though not in Bali) had feared, the event
\ngenerally proceeded without any major hitches and even provided a
\nwelcome additional attraction for visitors to this world-renowned
\nisland resort.<\/p>\n
That reality could serve as proof that the PDI under Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri's leadership is or at least can be if given the
\nchance, a well-organized and well-disciplined organization,
\ncapable of making a valuable contribution to the nation's efforts
\nto build a healthy functioning democracy in this part of the
\nworld. To organize an event on such a grand scale and control
\nsuch huge crowds of fanatical party supporters is certainly no
\nmean feat to accomplish.<\/p>\n
Even so, the government's fears of possible public
\ndisturbances during the congress in Bali, and the authorities'
\nwarnings that the congress organizers would be held responsible
\nfor any trouble that might erupt during the event, cannot be
\nsimply dismissed as attempts to make things difficult for PDI
\nPerjuangan.<\/p>\n
It is after all an undeniable fact that most, if not all, PDI
\ncongresses in the past few decades were accompanied by violent
\nclashes between factions. While this was in part a result of the
\nfact that the party was born of a government-imposed fusion of
\nminor parties during the repressive New Order regime, and for
\nanother part because of government intervention in the internal
\naffairs of political parties, the fact remains that the violence
\nsparked tension and anxiety in the community.<\/p>\n
Given such a background, the smooth running of last week's PDI
\nPerjuangan congress in Bali could be taken as a welcome
\nindication that the party may now, after so many years, finally
\nhave outgrown its growing pains. This is not an unreasonable
\nassumption to make since over the years a younger generation of
\nleaders and activists has emerged to blur the old factional lines
\nof division.<\/p>\n
To bolster such an assumption, many of the debates that were
\nconducted during the congress and many of the decisions that were
\ntaken seem to indicate the party may indeed have ended its long
\nadolescence and begun to emerge as a modern, open party on the
\nIndonesian political stage. Worth mentioning in this context is
\nthe realization and the willingness of congress participants to
\naccept that strategic posts such as that of the party's
\nsecretary-general should be given to someone with a modern,
\nforward-looking vision and a good comprehension of all the wide-
\nranging problems of the times.<\/p>\n
Of no less importance is the party's willingness to
\nrestructure itself in such a way as to enhance its maneuvering
\nagility in view of the upcoming general elections. In many ways
\nthe PDI Perjuangan has through this Bali congress effectively
\ndispelled allegations that it is unfit to lead the nation in this
\nmodern age of globalization.<\/p>\n
After this Bali congress, for certain, it will be impossible
\nfor anyone -- the authorities included -- to dismiss PDI
\nPerjuangan as being a minor force whose role in Indonesian
\npolitics can be ignored. The party has proven itself worthy of
\nbeing given its rightful place in society.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, this being the indisputable reality, it is
\npart of the newly elected PDI leadership's responsibility to
\ncooperate as much as it can with other political parties and
\ngroups as well as with the authorities, in order to establish a
\nbetter, more democratic Indonesia for this and for future
\ngenerations of Indonesians. It would be a great pity and a great
\nloss to the nation if the potential of such an impressive
\norganization should be wasted.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pdi-coming-of-age-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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