PPP candidates shy away from open debate<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A scheduled public debate among leading
\ncandidates for the upcoming chairmanship election in the United
\nDevelopment Party (PPP) was severely watered down yesterday when
\na number of the important figures failed to show up.<\/p>\n
Only two did come to the debate -- Sri Bintang Pamungkas and
\nMathori Abdul Djalil.<\/p>\n
The gathering was organized by a group of political
\njournalists and held at the Press Council Building.<\/p>\n
Incumbent chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum, who will give an
\naccount of his leadership in the party's five-year elections next
\nweek and is seeking another term, turned down the invitation,
\nciting a meeting he had to attend at the House of Representatives
\n(DPR).<\/p>\n
The Jayakarta daily, however, quoted an unidentified source as
\nsaying that there was no meeting scheduled for yesterday at the
\nDPR.<\/p>\n
The other aspirants who failed to turn up were Hamzah Haz,
\nYusuf Hasyim, Karmani, Cholil Badlawi, Hartono Mardjono, Husnie
\nThamrin, Yudo Paripurno and H.M. Dault.<\/p>\n
Recent press reports have indicated an intensifying split as
\nmany leaders of the Moslem-based party jockey for positions and
\nlaunch attacks against one another.<\/p>\n
Bintang, for example, has demanded that Ismail Hasan and his
\nsecretary-general Mathori Abdul Djalil step out of the race
\nbecause they have \"failed\" to improve the party's performance.<\/p>\n
Mathori defended himself yesterday, saying he has been chosen
\nas the party's fall guy but would nevertheless continue to show
\nintegrity.<\/p>\n
Last week, Mathori blamed Ismail for the party's poor showing
\nin the last election, while Ismail criticized Bintang for
\nattempting to bend the party's regulations in order to enter the
\nrace for the chairmanship.<\/p>\n
Supporters loyal to Ismail Hasan have helped heighten the
\ntension by accusing Bintang of \"biting the hand that fed him\".<\/p>\n
Bintang was recruited, and later posted at the House of
\nRepresentatives, by Ismail Hasan and his supporters as the
\nparty's vote getter.<\/p>\n
The dialog yesterday was organized by a number of reporters
\nwho actively cover domestic political issues. It was expected to
\npresent a lively debate as the chairman aspirants presented their
\nindividual programs and visions.<\/p>\n
\"We want to cultivate a tradition of openness,\" said one of
\nthe journalists, Sururi Al Farouq.<\/p>\n
Not the programs<\/p>\n
During the dialog yesterday, rather than concentrating on
\ndelineating their specific programs for PPP, Mathori and Bintang
\ntried to outdo one another in modesty. Both refused to firmly
\ndeclare that they are actively seeking chairmanship.<\/p>\n
\"I did not nominate myself. I was chosen as candidate by a
\nnumber of people,\" said Bintang, citing a surge of
\n\"undercurrents\", or the urging by the party's rank and file as
\nthe factor which convinced him to run. He formally announced his
\nintention to run on Sunday.<\/p>\n
\"I did not and would never nominate myself,\" Mathori said.
\n\"Asking for positions is not a very Islamic thing to do. However,
\nif people ask me to take up a position, then it becomes amanah
\n(mandate).\"<\/p>\n
Mathori has claimed to have the support of many kyai, or
\nMoslem scholars, from the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) organization, one
\nof PPP's four factions, which boasts some 35 million followers.<\/p>\n
The kyai, under the leadership of KH Syansuri Badlawi, have
\nnot formally announced their candidate but have hinted that they
\nfavored Mathori over other NU figures, including Hamzah Haz.<\/p>\n
Both Mathori and Bintang also tried to display to the
\njournalists that their current campaign for positions was
\nmotivated by their concern for the people.<\/p>\n
\"I am one of the people, I came from among the small people of
\na small village in Salatiga,\" Mathori said, referring to a town
\nin Central Java, which did not have electricity until two years
\nago.<\/p>\n
Vowing to defend Moslems and disadvantaged people, Bintang
\nclaimed that, even if he lost the race, he would continue his
\nstruggle. \"I'll spend the rest of my life for that goal.\"<\/p>\n
Yesterday's discussion was also used by the two aspirants to
\ncompare their experiences. \"I entered PPP from the lowest rung of
\nthe leadership ladder, and waited for years before I got the
\nsecretary-general seat,\" Mathori said.<\/p>\n
Bintang countered by saying that he had been politically
\nactive even before he was recruited into the party. Some
\npolitical analysts have said that Bintang has little chance of
\nwinning because his term of service in the party is not long
\nenough to meet the requirements for the chairmanship. (swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ppp-candidates-shy-away-from-open-debate-1447893297",
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