PDI-P says Sophan exit no big loss<\/p>\n
A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Prominent Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
\nPerjuangan) legislator Sophan Sophiaan has quit from both the
\nHouse of Representatives and the People's Consultative Assembly,
\nbut party officials played down the move.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan deputy secretary-general Pramono Anung Wibowo
\nsaid on Saturday that Sophan's withdrawal from the legislative
\nbodies was expected, as the noted film star had already tendered
\nhis resignation five months before.<\/p>\n
\"There will be no efforts to stop him -- the letter of
\nresignation was sent to the party factions at the House and
\nAssembly,\" Pramono told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Party leaders are expected to name Sophan's replacement when
\nthey meet on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Pramono said that Sophan's farewell bid last year failed to
\nmaterialize, following a rejection from party chairwoman Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
Sophan's resignation came against the backdrop of a visible
\nsplit in PDI Perjuangan over whether to support a House special
\ncommittee to investigate the misuse of Rp 40 billion of the State
\nLogistics Agency (Bulog) fund in 1999 involving then-state
\nminister\/secretary Akbar Tandjung, the current House Speaker.<\/p>\n
Sophan, who formally announced his resignation on Friday,
\nrefused to link his move to the dispute within his party.<\/p>\n
\"If I comment on that, I will spark polemics; I don't want to
\nincite people's anger.\" he said.<\/p>\n
Accompanied by his wife, actress Widyawati, Sophan began
\nclearing his belongings out of his legislative office on
\nSaturday.<\/p>\n
Sophan had recently expressed frustration and concern over the
\ndeteriorating political conditions resulting from friction and
\nwhat he called a lack of ethics among lawmakers.<\/p>\n
\"This is my personal decision, and it has nothing to do with
\npolitical maneuvering -- I've been thinking about this a lot, and
\nhad long discussions with my family and friends,\" about resigning
\nhe told reporters.<\/p>\n
\"I feel that I can no longer function in these conditions, as
\neverything has become so skewed. The truth has been blurred,
\nwhile foibles and filth are taken as truth ... What is actually
\nright is now wrong -- you know what I'm talking about,\" Sophan
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, another senior member of the party, Agustin Teras
\nNarang, acknowledged that he was \"shocked and moved\" upon hearing
\nof Sophan's resignation.<\/p>\n
However, he was optimistic that Sophan's departure would not
\nadversely affect the party.<\/p>\n
\"He remains a member of the party, and he merely quit from the
\nHouse and Assembly. As a public figure, he can still contribute
\nto the party,\" Agustin, who chairs the House Commission I
\noverseeing legal affairs, told the Post.<\/p>\n
When asked who would take Sophan's seat, Agustin declined to
\ncomment, saying only that \"we will leave it to the party's
\nmechanisms.\"<\/p>\n
Political observer J. Kristiadi shared Agustin's view, saying
\nthat Sophan had been alienated within the party.<\/p>\n
\"Sophan's resignation may not bring about any impact within
\nthe party,\" said Kristiadi, of the Centre for Strategic and
\nInternational Studies (CSIS).<\/p>\n
But Kristiadi gave two thumbs up to Sophan for being \"a small
\nray of light in a big, dark space.\"<\/p>\n
\"In mainstream public opinion, politics is viewed as very
\ndirty, but Sophan has proven himself a symbol of conscience,\"
\nsaid Kristiadi, after addressing a seminar on governance here.<\/p>",
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