Basofi fails to bring PDI rivals together

Basofi fails to bring PDI rivals together

SURABAYA (JP): East Java governor Basofi Soedirman failed yesterday to bring together the two rival chairs of the provincial chapter of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).

The long-awaited meeting, held at the governor's office, flopped after Soetjipto and his supporters refused to attend. His rival, Latief Pudjosakti, arrived in full force with supporters.

Both Soetjipto and Latief claimed, during the chapter's congress in July 1994, to be the legitimate chairperson of the chapter.

Latief claims the support of many of the province's PDI branch offices and maintains that he was the selected chairperson by the election committee at the conference in July. Latief is allegedly backed by the government.

Soetjipto, on the other hand, maintains that he was legitimately inaugurated as chairperson based on an appointment letter from the PDI central executive board.

Basofi Soedirman had hoped to bridge the gap between the two sides.

He expressed disappointment yesterday that Soetjipto balked at the meeting.

"I think its a bit disrespectful," he said.

Soetjipto told The Jakarta Post by telephone that he chose not to attend because he suspected that the meeting, originally set up as a hearing with the governor, would be turned into an open debate on the validity of each one's chairmanship.

The letter of appointment from the PDI executive board was "undebatable", he said. "If there are people who are dissatisfied with it, they can bring it up in the next national congress."

He added that, prior to the meeting, a number of his supporters had been intimidated by Latief's supporters.

According to Soetjipto he had informed of his intended absence a day earlier. He added that he would try to have a separate hearing with the governor in the future.

He also said he had told the other leaders of the chapter to reconsider attending the meeting.

The internal wrangling has yet to see a lull.

A little-known activist, Taufik Achwan, recently tried to break the impasse by declaring his claim on the chairmanship.

The government has reminded PDI and the two other political groupings -- Golkar and the Moslem-based United Development Party -- to prepare for the 1997 general election.

A number of bodies in charge of the general elections, including the 1997 General Election's Organizing Committee, have just been established. (15/mds)