Alex denies split in PDI Perjuangan
Alex denies split in PDI Perjuangan
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan) secretary-general Alex Litay denied on Monday reports
of an escalating internal party rift ahead of the party's
national congress.
"As far as I have observed there is no split in the party's
elite this close to the congress. All party members, including
Dimyati Hartono and Eros Djarot, have a right to be nominated
party chief and to contend the election in accordance with the
party's statutes," he said after delivering his opening speech at
the congress of the Eastern Indonesia Younger Generation (GMIT)
here on Monday.
He also said the party's South Jakarta branch could not block
Eros from the race, saying that nominees would be determined
during the congress.
"Party branches have no right to determine who should contend
the election. They cannot prevent Eros or Dimyati from contending
the election," he said.
Certain factions within the party are known to have taken
measures in an attempt to block anyone running against incumbent
chief Megawati Soekarnoputri in the election during the congress
to be held in Semarang.
Eros, whose membership in the party was registered in South
Jakarta, complained last week over the South Jakarta branch's
recent decision to bar his nomination in the PDI Perjuangan
leadership race.
Attempts to block alternative candidates have been deemed odd,
particularly since no one doubts that Megawati will be reelected.
Eros has repeatedly said that he does not believe that
Megawati is behind efforts to block his bid, but overzealous
supporters.
Party sources told The Jakarta Post that the escalating feud
between the "reformist" and "conservative" groups were deep.
"Roy B. Janis, chairman of the Jakarta chapter, Mangara
Siahaan and Suparlan, both members of the executive board, are
leading a 'success team' to reelect Megawati to the top party
post," said the source, adding that Megawati's husband, Taufik
Kiemas, was behind the team.
Another source said the presence of "politically uneducated
hoodlums" in the party's executive board, regional and local
branches and the House of Representatives, had prevented the
party from adopting reform.
Internally there was also talk that moves had been taken to
remove Dimyati as head of the PDI Perjuangan faction at the House
of Representatives.
Meanwhile, executives of PDI Perjuangan's Research and
Development Center have remained silent concerning the rift in
the party, saying they have proposed suggestions to the executive
board on how to solve the rift.
They admitted that their proposals had not been satisfactorily
responded to.
The center's executives Sudirman, Sapto, Abadi Hutagalung and
Cypri Aoer declined to comment, saying they did not want to be
dragged into any rift.
"One of our tasks is to give input to the executive board and
we have done it. If no action is taken to solve the rift it is
not our fault," said Sudirman.
They also declined to comment on why Megawati had taken no
initiative to resolve the rift.
Ahead of the congress, which begins on March 27, the party
will hold a two-day seminar on regional autonomy.
"Besides collecting input from political and economic experts,
the seminar is also aimed at correcting the misleading perception
that regional autonomy is aimed at sharing power and money with
provinces and regencies," he said without elaborating.
He merely added that PDI Perjuangan supported the regional
autonomy plan in an endeavor to maintain national unity. (rms)