Soeharto backs Basofi in PDI feud<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): East Java Governor Basofi Sudirman yesterday
\nsaid he has the support of President Soeharto on how he has
\napproached the row dividing the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI)
\nin his territory.<\/p>\n
Basofi told reporters after meeting with the President at his
\nBina Graha office that the PDI row should be resolved by the
\nparty itself and that the governor is in a position to help.<\/p>\n
But, first of all, the PDI leaders themselves must admit that
\nthere is a problem, he quoted Soeharto as saying.<\/p>\n
"They have to see the reality. They have to open their eyes
\nand minds to the fact that the problem exists. We cannot allow
\npersonal interests to overpower wider interests, including the
\ninterests of the party," he said, again citing the President.<\/p>\n
If all parties accept that there is a problem, the next step
\nis to encourage them to meet and resolve it, he added.<\/p>\n
The governor's remarks were apparently aimed at the PDI's
\nCentral Executive Board in Jakarta which insists that the problem
\nin East Java has been resolved with the appointment of its chosen
\nfigure, Soetjipto, as head of the chapter.<\/p>\n
The PDI chapter in East Java has been split into two camps for
\nthe past year, one supporting the leadership of Megawati
\nSukarnoputri, the PDI chair in Jakarta, and the other headed by
\nLatief Pudjosakti, a former chapter chairman and a staunch
\nopponent of Megawati.<\/p>\n
Basofi, who has been widely criticized for the way he has
\nshielded Latief, insisted yesterday that it was his duty to
\nprotect everyone in his territory.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that Latief still has a strong influence among
\nPDI members in East Java and if the provincial administration has
\ndecided to recognize Soetjipto's leadership, it will open itself
\nto accusations that it is taking sides.<\/p>\n
The East Java administration has repeatedly blocked Megawati's
\nattempts to formally install Soetjipto as the local chapter
\nchairman by refusing to issue the necessary gathering permit.<\/p>\n
Basofi likened the row in the PDI to a conflict between "a
\nfather and his son", rather than a conflict between "two sons".<\/p>\n
This is all the more reason why the administration is
\ncompelled to mediate, he said. "Certainly, we cannot let the
\nfather simply solve the problem. Father and son must talk first.
\nYou have to have pity on the son."<\/p>\n
While Megawati has insisted that Soetjipto has been formally
\nappointed as the chapter chairman, the East Java administration
\nhas recognized neither the leadership of Soetjipto nor Latief.<\/p>\n
Last month, when the East Java administration set up the
\nregional election committee, the seat for the PDI representative
\nwas left vacant pending the resolution of the leadership problem.
\nThe government has given PDI until May to appoint its
\nrepresentative to the election board.<\/p>\n
Basofi said that if the May deadline is passed and PDI still
\ncannot not appoint a legitimate representative, the 1997 election
\nwould still proceed. The fact that PDI will not be represented
\nwould not negate the outcome at the polls.<\/p>\n
The governor said he has attempted several times to bring the
\nopposing camps together to resolve their differences. But his
\nefforts were thwarted because Megawati's camp has turned down the
\noffer of mediation.<\/p>\n
"To this day, he (Soeharto) has never said I was wrong," he
\nsaid, when asked if the President had criticized the way he
\napproached the problem. "But he did caution me that I should be
\ncareful and avoid falling into various traps."<\/p>\n
"Yet, others have said that I have been too cautious," he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
Asked about the impact of the row on East Java, Basofi said:<\/p>\n
"It has not affected the development there, but the row is
\nstill a thorn in the side of East Java. We can really feel it."
\n(emb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/soeharto-backs-basofi-in-pdi-feud-1447893297",
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