Third camp contests PDI E. Java board<\/p>\n
SURABAYA (JP): A third group has staked its claim to lead the
\nEast Java regional executive board of the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty (PDI), which has been the subject of fierce rivalry between
\ntwo rival camps.<\/p>\n
The emergence of the new group has further dashed hopes of a
\nan early resolution, something which the PDI desperately needs to
\nprepare itself for the 1997 general election. East Java is the
\nlargest of Indonesia's 27 provinces.<\/p>\n
The new camp, which is lead by little known Taufik Achwan,
\nsaid it recognizes neither the leadership of Sutjipto nor Latief
\nPudjosakti, the two men who are locked in the battle to lead the
\nEast Java board.<\/p>\n
Sutjipto has the support of PDI chairperson Megawati
\nSukarnoputri while Latief has the backing of the East Java
\nprovincial administration.<\/p>\n
Taufik, claiming to have the supports of PDI branches in
\nseveral regencies in East Java, said the only way to break out of
\nthe current impasse is to compromise, giving the chairmanship to
\nneither Latief or Sutjipto, but to a third person.<\/p>\n
He did not say whether he would be this ideal third person
\nalthough he indicated that his camp was prepared to take the
\nseat.<\/p>\n
Taufik and his supporters visited the PDI headquarters in
\nJakarta on Monday, filing a petition demanding a extraordinary
\ncongress to settle the matter once and for all.<\/p>\n
Taufik's request to personally meet Megawati was turned down.
\nInstead, he was met by Ismunandar, a member of the central
\nexecutive board, who promised the delegates to raise their point
\nduring the next board meeting.<\/p>\n
Sophan Sophiaan, another PDI board member, yesterday denied
\nTaufik's claim that the third camp had the support of the central
\nexecutive board. "They came here to express their concern and
\ngive us their ideas on solving the rift," he told The Post in
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
Sophan is still insisting that the problem with the East Java
\nbranch was the intervention of the provincial administration.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that the policy of East Java provincial
\nadministration runs counter to the Ministry of Home Affairs's
\npolicy of recognizing the leadership of Megawati and all the
\nboards under her.<\/p>\n
The government last month warned the PDI that unless the East
\nJava board leadership was settled soon, the party's seats in the
\nlocal election committees would be vacated.<\/p>\n
Sophan said that as far as the PDI central board was
\nconcerned, the PDI seats in all East Java election committees
\nwould be filled by people nominated by Sutjipto. (15\/imn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/third-camp-contests-pdi-e-java-board-1447893297",
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