PDI-P trims Mega's privileges<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) is
\nconsidering modifying the prerogatives granted to party leader
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri, in an attempt to become more modern.<\/p>\n
PDI-P deputy secretary-general Pramono Anung Wibowo said here
\non Tuesday that special powers could only be exercised after
\nconsultation with other party leaders.<\/p>\n
"There will be a stipulation requiring the party leader to use
\ntheir prerogatives transparently," he said on the sidelines of a
\nparty meeting on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Pramono added that under existing party regulations, the party
\nleader could take action if the regulations or the state ideology
\nwere threatened.<\/p>\n
Megawati used her prerogatives to intervene in the election of
\nregional administrators, including the Jakarta governor in 2002.<\/p>\n
PDI-P councillor Tarmidi Soehardjo was a gubernatorial
\ncandidate, but Megawati backed the reelection of Sutiyoso, a
\nretired military officer.<\/p>\n
Pramono said that the party's internal regulations would also
\nbe revised. He said the central executive board would be expanded
\nfrom 17 members to somewhere between 36 and 45 members.<\/p>\n
The board's expansion would apparently allow for the
\naccommodation of younger politicians from the Democratic People's
\nParty (PRD), he said.<\/p>\n
According to Pramono, Megawati would likely maintain her
\nposition as PDI-P leader. Among strong candidates to assist
\nMegawati as secretary-general are incumbent secretary-general
\nSutjipto, Tjahjo Kumolo and Pramono.<\/p>\n
"I don't know about that," Pramono said.<\/p>\n
He said that the party had decided to delay its congress for
\nseveral days from Mar. 25 to Mar. 28.<\/p>\n
The five-day congress would be attended by four
\nrepresentatives of each of the PDI-P's 442 regental chapters and
\n32 provincial chapters -- around 1,750 people in total.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, PDI-P deputy chairman Kwik Kian Gie said that
\nTuesday's meeting was intended as a forum to evaluate the
\nperformance of the PDI-P in the general election.<\/p>\n
"This is an evaluation, but we have not discussed possible
\nsolutions to our problems," he said.<\/p>\n
According to Kwik, apart from selecting the party leader, the
\ncongress would also discuss efforts to return the PDI-P to its
\nideological roots of democracy and nationalism.<\/p>\n
Kwik had blamed Pramono, secretary general Sutjipto, and
\nGunawan Wirasaroyo -- known as the "Gang of Three" -- for the
\nPDI-P's poor performance in the election.<\/p>\n
The PDI-P, which garnered the most votes in the 1999 general
\nelection, lagged behind the Golkar Party in "second place" in 2004.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pdi-p-trims-megas-privileges-1447893297",
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