Splinter group won't form rival board<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The splinter group in the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
\n(PDI-P) said on Monday its leaders would accommodate the
\naspirations of party members who seek internal reform.<\/p>\n
It does not, however, intend to challenge the party's central
\nboard announced by reelected leader Megawati Soekarnoputri in a
\nnational congress last week.<\/p>\n
"We are not establishing a rival central board. Our reform
\nmovement is aimed at salvaging the party's credibility in the
\neyes of members, supporters and swing voters," one of the
\nfounding members, Laksamana Sukardi, said.<\/p>\n
The movement was founded by the party's senior politicians,
\nincluding former deputy leader Roy B.B. Janis, legislators
\nSukowaluyo Mintohardjo and Didi Supriyanto, businessman Arifin
\nPanigoro and former legislator Sophan Sophiaan.<\/p>\n
Earlier in the day, they visited the Ministry of Justice and
\nHuman Rights, complaining about the undemocratic process of the
\ncongress, which unanimously reelected Megawati as party leader
\nand named Pramono Anung Wibowo secretary-general.<\/p>\n
Pramono is the party's youngest secretary-general to date.<\/p>\n
Roy, who was appointed as the movement's leader, said the
\ncongress violated the party's statute, as many of its
\nparticipants had been intimidated and lost their voting rights
\nduring the congress, which was held on Bali island.<\/p>\n
Laksamana said the movement would only accept party members
\nwith clean track records.<\/p>\n
Didik, who was named as secretary of the national movement,
\nsaid its members had cleaner track records than the figures
\nappointed by Megawati to sit on the party's central board for the
\n2005-2010 period.<\/p>\n
The movement will not organize a rival congress to challenge
\nthe outcome of the official forum, which ran from March 28 to
\nMarch 31.<\/p>\n
"We are only taking steps to accommodate the aspirations of
\ncongress participants, who were not given a voice during the
\ncongress in Bali," said Roy, who chaired the congress' organizing
\ncommittee but was mostly absent from the event.<\/p>\n
He said the split would not affect the unity of the party's
\nfaction in the House.<\/p>\n
"We will enlighten PDI-P legislators, to prevent them from
\nbeing trapped in the antidemocratic way of thinking that
\nprevailed during the congress," said Roy, who is a PDI-P
\nlegislator.<\/p>\n
PDI-P secured 109 House seats following the legislative
\nelection last year, down from 124 in the 1999 polls.<\/p>\n
Roy said PDI-P lawmakers who supported the reform movement
\nshould not be dismissed as they had not broken party regulations.<\/p>\n
"If dismissals occur, it would backfire on the party as the
\npublic would view it as the removal of party members who were
\nspeaking the truth. People will judge who is right," he said.<\/p>\n
PDI-P secretary-general Pramono has talked of possible
\ndisciplinary action against the splinter group, but suggested a
\nforum to resolve the internal conflict amicably.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/splinter-group-wont-form-rival-board-1447893297",
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