14 Ex-generals to join PPP

14 Ex-generals to join PPP

The United Development Party (PPP), led by Vice President
Hamzah Haz, will accord membership on 14 retired generals when it
celebrates its 33rd anniversary on Jan. 5, 2002.

It will be only nine days before reform-minded party cadres
are expected to announce the establishment of a breakaway party.

"During the party's birthday celebration, we will introduce to
the public 14 retired generals who will join PPP," PPP deputy
chairman Faisal Baasir told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Among the generals Faisal mentioned were Lt. Gen. (ret.) Yunus
Yosfiah, a former field commander in East Timor and minister of
information, and Lt. Gen. (ret.) Andi M. Ghalib, a former
attorney general.

Last week, a close friend of former head of Army Strategic
Reserve Command (Kostrad) Lt. Gen. (ret.) Prabowo Subianto, Farid
Prawinegara, said that the PPP had also approached Prabowo.

But Faisal could not confirm Farid's claim, saying that
institutionally PPP never approached any general to join the
party.

"PPP never approaches certain parties to join, but I do not
know if there are any PPP cadres who personally approached him
(Prabowo)," Faisal said.

Generals joining political parties have received a skeptical
response from critics, who suspect that the former officers had
their own agenda.

But Faisal said the PPP had a clear political platform which
should be obeyed by all party members, believing that the former
generals had skills useful for the development of the party.

They will be appointed as members of the Party Experts
Council.

Disgruntled PPP cadres led by noted Muslim preacher Zainuddin
M.Z are scheduled to declare PPP Reformasi on Jan. 14. They are
unhappy with PPP chairman Hamzah Haz's leadership, which they say
is too conservative and dominated by elderly views.