Rebels seek PDI-P change of guard<\/p>\n
I Wayan Juniartha, The Jakarta Post, Sanur<\/p>\n
An internal rift in the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
\n(PDI-P) became widened during the party's one-day national
\nmeeting here on Tuesday, with several senior executives
\ncampaigning for a leadership change.<\/p>\n
Calls for reform within the party come as its leader,
\nincumbent President Megawati Soekarnoputri, heads to a crushing
\ndefeat in the Sept. 20 presidential at the hands of her former
\nchief security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.<\/p>\n
PDI-P executive and businessman Arifin Panigoro was among
\nthose at the forefront in calling for a reshuffle of the party's
\nleadership in a bid to modernize the country's second largest
\npolitical party.<\/p>\n
\"We must abandon the old paradigm. PDI-P should transform
\nitself into the kind of modern, nationalist party this country
\nwill need in the next 50 years, instead of becoming the party
\nthis country needed 100 years ago,\" he said,<\/p>\n
Arifin said Megawati's record over the course of her three-
\nyear presidency played a crucial role in determining the outcome
\nof the presidential election.<\/p>\n
\"The voters obviously examined Ibu Mega's deeds during her
\nthree years as President,\" he said on the sidelines of the
\nmeeting in Sanur, Bali<\/p>\n
However, he refused to blame any specific executives for
\nMegawati's imminent loss in the historic election.<\/p>\n
Arifin also stopped short of saying that those wanting to
\nreform the PDI-P should topple Megawati from her position as the
\nparty's leader.<\/p>\n
\"I did not say that. It (a change of leadership) should be
\ndecided by all of the elements of the party. However, I believe
\nthat we are moving in that direction.<\/p>\n
\"There must be change inside the party's structure. It's an
\nongoing process right now and we still don't know at this moment
\nwhether the change will be achieved through a special national
\ncongress or an expedited congress,\" Arifin said.<\/p>\n
Held at the Grand Bali Beach Hotel, the one-day meeting was
\nattended by leaders of the party's provincial chapters throughout
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
Megawati's husband Taufik Kiemas and brother Guruh
\nSoekarnoputra, as well as most members of the party's central
\nexecutive board, were among those in attendance.<\/p>\n
Megawati officially opened the meeting by striking a gong
\nafter giving a brief speech.<\/p>\n
Kwik Kian Gie, a senior PDI-P executive who has been highly
\ncritical of some Megawati loyalists for harming the party's
\nimage, was not seen at the meeting.<\/p>\n
He has several times named PDI-P secretary-general Sutjipto,
\nhis deputy Pramono Anung and party executive Gunawan Wirosarojo
\nas those most responsible for Megawati's defeat in the direct
\npresidential election, and has said the three should be kicked
\nout of the party.<\/p>\n
Asked why Kwik was not in Sanur, Arifin said: \"I think Kwik
\nhas already said more than enough in Jakarta.\"<\/p>\n
Outside the hotel, dozens of PDI-P supporters staged a
\npeaceful protest demanding the dismissal of party executives
\nresponsible for the party's failure to win the legislative and
\npresidential elections. The protesters did not provide specific
\nnames.<\/p>\n
When asked about Kwik's absence, Sutjipto said: \"Why don't you
\nask Pak Kwik? Everybody was invited to this meeting.\"<\/p>\n
Responding to Kwik's statement that the PDI-P must be cleansed
\nof what he called \"rotten\" members, Sutjipto said the party did
\nnot have any mechanisms for such an action.<\/p>\n
\"If Pak Kwik keeps saying that, then there is the possibility
\nthat this national meeting will come up with a decision to
\ndischarge him from the party,\" he warned.<\/p>\n
The gathering ended with nine recommendations, including a
\ncall for the PDI-P's central board not to tolerate any campaigns
\nby party executives that were not in line with the party's
\nprevailing regulations.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rebels-seek-pdi-p-change-of-guard-1447893297",
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