PPP begins organization consolidation<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The United Development Party, still reeling from
\na heated congress that threatened to divide the party, has gotten
\ndown to the business of consolidating the organization.<\/p>\n
Chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum, who was re-elected to the helm
\nat the congress last month, reported to President Soeharto
\nyesterday the moves taken by the party leadership after the
\ncongress.<\/p>\n
"We've begun consolidating our organization and we hope to
\nstrengthen this process all the way through until the regional
\ncongress," Ismail Hasan told reporters after he and eight other
\nmembers of the new central executive board met with the President
\nat the Merdeka Palace.<\/p>\n
He said the elected board has already formed various
\ndepartments and appointed the executives to run the party's day
\nto day affairs.<\/p>\n
Ismail Hasan was re-appointed to the post at the congress
\nafter foiling an attempt by politicians from the Nahdlatul Ulama
\n(NU) faction to unseat him. Many of the disgruntled NU
\npoliticians have since vowed to take their support somewhere
\nelse, some saying they would cross over to the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI), while others said they plan to push for
\nthe establishment of their own new party.<\/p>\n
In the latest development, a number of NU ulemas this week
\ncalled for an emergency congress of the party.<\/p>\n
The suggestion was flatly turned down yesterday by Ismail
\nHasan who pointed out that last month's congress was valid and
\ncomplied with all procedures.<\/p>\n
PPP is a fusion of four Moslem parties, established in 1973,
\nbut its leadership has been contested by NU, the largest of the
\nfour, and Muslimin Indonesia (MI), which has the support of the
\ngovernment. Ismail Hasan hails from MI. As a compromise, the
\nparty's secretary general post has always gone to NU figures. The
\ncurrent secretary general Tosari Widjaya belongs to NU.<\/p>\n
Tosari yesterday also spelled out the requirements for an
\nemergency congress, which now must be at the request of at least
\nhalf of all the party's regional boards.<\/p>\n
Ismail Hasan yesterday also reported to President Soeharto on
\na new forum his party is launching to bring party leaders into
\ncloser and more frequent contact with scholars.<\/p>\n
The President's response to this, according to Ismail Hasan,
\nwas that the party should take advantage of the expertise of
\nthese scholars.<\/p>\n
Soeharto also fully backed the PPP leadership's move to
\nconsolidate the organization, pointing out that the leaders must
\nalways have the support of party rank and files, Ismail Hasan
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The party is also expected to join in the current government
\nendeavor to eradicate poverty, both material and spiritual, in
\nthe nation, Ismail Hasan said.<\/p>\n
"This is a coincidence because PPP has from the beginning
\nalways put the stress more on spiritual rather than material
\ndevelopment," he said. (emb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ppp-begins-organization-consolidation-1447893297",
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