Calls for compromise in PDI row gain momentum

Calls for compromise in PDI row gain momentum

JAKARTA (JP): The idea that the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) appoints a compromise candidate to head its East Java chapter board gained momentum yesterday, although the party's leaders have not responded, at least publicly, to the idea.

Ryas Rasyid, a leading public administration expert, said that a third, compromise, candidate is the best solution to the nearly two-year impasse in the leadership contest in the PDI's East Java Chapter.

The appointment of a third candidate for the East Java post is also a face-saving move to all parties concerned, Ryas, the rector of the Institute of Public Administration Science, told reporters.

The chapter leadership has been divided into two camps: one lead by Soetjipto who was appointed by the Central Executive Board in Jakarta, and another led by Latief Pudjosakti, who still commands strong followers in East Java.

Latief, long known as a staunch opponent of Megawati, had chaired the East Java chapter until the 1994 election which ended in the deadlock.

The East Java provincial administration recognizes neither camp and has left the PDI seats in the regional election committee empty until the party could come up with a single leader. The government has set a May deadline to PDI or forfeit the seat altogether in the 1997 election.

In December, a group of PDI activists in East Java formed a group offering itself as a compromise camp to head the chapter. The idea died away with none of the conflicting parties or the government giving their backing.

This week, another group staked its claim to the chapter leadership. Leaders of the alternative board, lead by David Tanuwijaya and Ridwan Effendi, were in town this week to lobby for support from the central board and the government.

Ridwan was quoted by Berita Yudha as saying yesterday that he had notified the Ministry of Home Affairs about the line up of the compromise board and had sent a letter to President Soeharto.

Ryas said that the establishment of a third board should come from within the party. "The government should not interfere," he said.

He proposed that a new regional congress be held, involving East Java party figures, to elect the new party leaders,

Ryas, who also heads the Public Administration Science Society, said the government is in an awkward position in dealing with the PDI problem and therefore cannot recognize either of the two conflicting camps.

"I think everyone should realize that something must be done quickly to resolve the problem," he said.

Besides Ryas, a number of other political scholars have also suggested a compromise candidate as the best, and perhaps only solution.

The party's central board in Jakarta, led by Megawati Soekarnoputri, has insisted that as far as it was concerned the problem has been resolved with the appointment of Soetjipto.

Megawati however has been prevented from installing Soetjipto into the post because the police have refused to issue the permit for such ceremony.

Megawati's stance came under criticism from President Soeharto this month who said that the party leaders are simply denying problems that actually exist and should be resolved. (01/emb)