SBY to attend party congress<\/p>\n
Wahyoe Boediwardhana and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post\/Denpasar\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is expected to step in and
\nsettle an ongoing conflict within his Democrat Party, which will
\nelect new leaders at a congress in Bali this week.<\/p>\n
Sys Ns, who chairs the congress steering committee, said on
\nThursday that Susilo would hold a meeting with party leaders and
\nthose involved in the dispute prior to the start of the congress.<\/p>\n
\"He'll talk to the party chairman, the central board members
\nand those from 14 (party) branches currently facing conflict. Let
\nSBY (resolve the problem),\" he said in Sanur, Bali.<\/p>\n
Susilo, who is scheduled to fly to the United States on May 24
\nfor a working visit, will be present during the three-day
\ncongress, which started Friday evening. He co-founded the party
\nin 2001, which during last year's legislative election over 7
\npercent of seats in the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who is also the Chairman of the
\nGolkar Party, is also expected to attend the opening of the
\ncongress.<\/p>\n
According to Sys, the 14 branches of the party had been
\nplagued by conflict due to double leadership of the branches.
\nEach opposing camp claims that they are the ones who should
\nrepresent the branches during the congress, meaning the right to
\nvote in the election of the party's leaders.<\/p>\n
There are 476 legitimate votes from the 443 party branches at
\nthe regency level, 32 provincial branches and the party's
\nexecutive board.<\/p>\n
Should those facing conflict refuse the decision made by
\nSusilo during the talk, the right to vote for the party's
\nbranches will be annulled, Sys said.<\/p>\n
I Gusti Ngurah Narakusuma, a spokesman from the Bali branch of
\nthe Democrat Party, said that there will be eight candidates
\nrunning for the party's top post during the congress.<\/p>\n
They are Sys, Hayono Isman, Hamidah Hamid, Nuryati Assegaf,
\nAhmad Mubarok, Suratto Siswodihardjo, Soekartono Hadiwarsito and
\nSubur Budisantoso, the incumbent leader.<\/p>\n
Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso, who has also hinted at putting his
\nname into the hat as well, will also be present. But, Susilo has
\nreportedly told him to become a member of the party's supervisory
\nboard instead.<\/p>\n
Narakusuma told The Jakarta Post that the congress would also
\nbe focused on discussions of the party's program for the next
\nfive years and a review of the party's accomplishments.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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