Trouble is brewing in PDI party again<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Trouble is brewing again in the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI) as a number of party leaders in the region
\ndenounced the leadership of Megawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
In Aceh and North Sumatra, the party has been split between
\npro- and anti-Megawati elements, with each one having their own
\nleadership boards.<\/p>\n
Megawati, the daughter of former president Sukarno, was swept
\nto the PDI leadership last December by popular vote during a
\nparty congress. She outdid the candidates who had the tacit
\nsupport of the government.<\/p>\n
Now as she tours the regions to oversee the election of the
\nlocal boards, she is finding that many of those who opposed her
\nleadership have continued to try to undermine the party.<\/p>\n
Her critics said she meddled too much in the affairs of the
\nregional boards and pushed for her supporters to fill the top
\nposts in the regions.<\/p>\n
In Aceh, Thaib Ali announced this week the formation of his
\nown board after he lost an election he called unfair and not
\ntruly reflecting the aspirations of the local PDI supporters.<\/p>\n
In Medan, Edy Suparman, a senior leader of PDI's North Sumatra
\nchapter, said he is also planning to form his own board and
\ndenounced the line up of the new board as unrepresentative.<\/p>\n
Edy said many of those appointed to the board at the regional
\ncongress on Aug. 4-5 were chosen because of their wealth.<\/p>\n
He also expressed his disappointment in Megawati. \"She has not
\ninherited the charisma of her father,\" he said as quoted by the
\nRepublika daily.<\/p>\n
Megawati also faced dissension during the congress of the
\nPDI's East Java chapter which failed to elect a new board last
\nmonth. There were also problems during the West Java chapter's
\ncongress.<\/p>\n
The chairman of PDI's chapter in Jakarta, MAS Alex
\nAsmasoebrata, meanwhile appealed to all party members nationwide
\nfor restraint.<\/p>\n
Alex said the conflicts in the various regions are harming the
\nparty's image.<\/p>\n
He denied the suggestions that Megawati had been dictating the
\ncourse of the various regional congresses. \"I think the people
\nwho made these suggestions were simply aiming to discredit
\nMegawati.\"<\/p>\n
Alex, one of the PDI leaders who rallied behind Megawati
\nduring the party congress last December, also announced on
\nTuesday his intention to run for election when the Jakarta
\nchapter holds its congress next month.<\/p>\n
He is being challenged by Untung Soetomo, a member of the
\nparty's central executive board, who announced his candidacy
\nearlier. (emb)<\/p>",
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