Basofi apologizes to PDI for intervention

JAKARTA (JP): East Java Governor Basofi Sudirman has apologized to leaders of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) for meddling in its internal problem.

Basofi told PDI regency leaders, who gathered at his office in Surabaya yesterday, that he wanted to apologize to PDI's central executive board for inviting them to the meeting.

The governor said the aim of the meeting was to solve the internal conflict among East Java PDI officials. But the initiative angered PDI leaders in Jakarta and provoked criticisms from political observers.

They said the move was a blatant intervention into PDI's internal problem and against the country's code of political ethics.

The governor retorted on Sunday saying he was not scared by the PDI leaders' threat to register a complaint with the minister of home affairs, President Soeharto or "even God" over the matter.

Yesterday's meeting, which was planned for serious talks, lasted only 25 minutes, Antara news agency reported from Surabaya yesterday.

The crisis within the East Java PDI surfaced last month after a candidate for the party's provincial leadership lost the election and set up a self-style executive board.

His game was flatly rejected by the PDI central board who only recognized the elected chairman of the chapter, Sutjipto.

The problem got out of hand after the East Java administration refused to recognize Sutjipto and showed a tendency to support his unyielding rival, Latief Pudjosakti.

It is not immediately clear why the governor, a retired army brigadier general, changed his mind. Until Monday, the Ministry of Home Affairs still hailed Basofi's step as constructive.

PDI chairwoman Megawati Sukarnoputri was not available for comment yesterday. (tis)