PDI rebels support Soerjadi<\/p>\n
By M.M.I. Ahyani<\/p>\n
MEDAN, North Sumatra (JP): Leading dissenters in the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party (PDI) claim they have no intention to
\nunseat incumbent chief Megawati Soekarnoputri, yet say 109 of the
\n306 branches have expressed support for the re-election of former
\nchairman Soerjadi.<\/p>\n
Congress organizers Untung Sutomo and Mulyono Sutarmo
\nannounced yesterday that some branches \"openly stated their
\nsupport for Soerjadi\" before the congress started.<\/p>\n
Untung said it will be up to the participants to discuss the
\nelection mechanism.<\/p>\n
\"Everything will be done in accordance with the existing
\nregulations,\" he insisted.<\/p>\n
Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. is scheduled to open
\nthe congress today in the Pangkalan Mansyur Haj Dormitory in
\nMedan, North Sumatra.<\/p>\n
\"The congress is not meant to topple Megawati. However, if the
\ncongress finds that her leadership should be corrected, then
\nwe'll discuss it,\" Untung said. \"Please remember, the congress is
\nthe highest authority in a political party,\" he added.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, President Soeharto endorsed the congress yesterday
\nwhen he told Yogie to \"do your job well\" after the minister
\nreported on the planned congress.<\/p>\n
\"I told the President that I am ready to open the congress,\"
\nYogie said, reiterating that the breakaway faction's congress is
\nlawful and, therefore, its outcome would be lawful.<\/p>\n
\"The congress is legal, and so will be all of its results,\" he
\nstated. He then expressed hope that the congress would end the
\nbickering.<\/p>\n
He denied, however, that the election of a new chairperson is
\non the agenda.<\/p>\n
\"The only central executive board I know is the one located at
\nJl. Diponegoro No. 58 in Central Jakarta,\" he said.<\/p>\n
As of yesterday afternoon, a total of 242 branches from 22
\nprovinces had arrived at the dormitory. Four other provinces --
\nBali, East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara and Southeast
\nSulawesi -- were scheduled to arrive late yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"The number of participants has reached a quorum, so the
\ncongress is valid,\" Mulyono said.<\/p>\n
The organizing committee has prepared an agenda, starting with
\na report by Fatimah Achmad, a deputy chief to Megawati. She
\ninitiated the congress.<\/p>\n
The central executive board will then give an account of its
\nleadership. The account will be delivered by yet another deputy
\nchief, Subagyo. The board's speech will be presented by
\nIsmunandar.<\/p>\n
Mulyono and Untung said the congress is the continuation of
\nthe botched 1993 congress, also in Medan, and follows the
\n\"extraordinary congress\" and \"national meeting\" in East Java last
\nyear.<\/p>\n
Given the need for continuity, the congress members will then
\ndiscuss the work left by the prior meetings, including the four
\npolitical statements issued by the national meeting.<\/p>\n
\"We expect to issue a political statement by the end of this
\ncongress,\" Mulyono said. He did not decline when reporters
\nsuggested the statement could include support for the
\nrenomination of President Soeharto for the 1998 presidential
\nelection.<\/p>\n
\"The authority to nominate a presidential candidate lies in
\nthe factions of the People's Consultative Assembly,\" Mulyono
\nsaid. \"But don't take this as refusing to renominate President
\nSoeharto.\"<\/p>\n
\"What's certain is that the congress will hear the central
\nexecutive board's account on 15 decisions taken in the 1994
\nnational meeting,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Untung dismissed reports that he and the other deputies had
\nbeen dismissed from Megawati's board.<\/p>\n
\"A decision of the board's can only be considered valid if
\nit's taken in a meeting attended by at least 15 executives,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The board once had 27 members, but Megawati's camp has only 11
\nexecutives left.<\/p>\n
Untung gave an equally cool response to the massive
\ndemonstration held in Jakarta yesterday against his congress
\ntaking place.<\/p>\n
\"You can't run a party by intrigue. Everything has a rule.
\nThose who demonstrated might not even vote in the general
\nelection next year,\" he stated.<\/p>\n
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