Congress retains Megawati, names her for presidency

By Imanuddin & M.M.I. Ahyani

DENPASAR (JP): Megawati Soekarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) faction ended its three-day congress on Saturday by reelecting the popular leader as the party's chairwoman through 2003 and naming her as its candidate in next year's presidential election.

Megawati ran uncontested in her bid to remain the party's chairwoman with all 27 of its chapters and 311 branches voting for her. She was also given "special authority to take extraordinary measures to maintain the party's existence".

Included in the authority is the right for her to "determine the party's position in the national political constellation" and "to solidify the party's leadership" and "to overcome obstacles, establish party disciplines".

The move enabled her to name a newcomer, Maj. Gen. (ret) Theo Syafei, as one of her deputies despite party statutes that say only members who have been involved with the party for at least five years can be given such a position.

The decision to announce her candidacy came as an afterthought. Shortly after Megawati read out the lineup of her executive board and before she closed the meeting, congress chairman Sutjipto asked the floor's agreement to name her as the party's presidential candidate.

Only a few hours before, senior member Kwik Kian Gie said that despite the majority of the congress' participants wanting her to become their presidential candidate, Megawati had no ambition to join the race.

"Megawati has no ambition to run in the presidential election," he said in marked contrast to an earlier statement by Megawati herself that she would lead a clean government if her camp won the general election planned for May next year.

Another reason that he cited was because the faction did not want to be accused of being ignorant of the rules of the election game. "People may laugh at us (if we name our presidential candidate now)," he said.

In due time, the faction will discuss and launch its preparations for presidential elections. "The issue is not yet relevant now," he had said then.

The other deputy chairmen were: Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno, I Gusti Ngurah Sara, Kwik Kian Gie, Hasyim Wahid (a younger brother of chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama, Abdurrahman Wahid), Suparlan, FB Da Costa, Mochtar Buchori and Dimyati Hartono.

Megawati retained her secretary-general, Alexander Litaay, and picked Haryanto Taslam, Mangara Siahaan and Tarto Sudiro as deputy secretary-generals.

She named ex-banker Laksamana Sukardi as her chief treasurer, and businessman Meilono Suwondo (a younger brother of former Golkar leader and minister Siswono Yudohusodo) and Noviantika Nasution as the party's deputy treasurers.

The congress decided not to change the name of the party -- a decision that may pose a problem when it is time for parties to register to contest the general elections since the government only recognizes the rival PDI faction currently led by Budi Hardjono.

The congress also issued a political statement calling for a fair and honest general election using an improved representational election system.

The election must be organized by an independent committee manned by representatives of the contesting political parties, the congress said. The government must act as a facilitator only. If necessary, the election must be monitored by an independent watchdog, either local or international, the congress said.

Earlier in the day, the congress called on the nation to intensify its fight against corruption and collusion, especially in the management of state funds.

The faction -- which often refers to itself as PDI Perjuangan (PDI In Struggle) -- also demanded that the government thoroughly investigate and resolve various cases of human rights violations.

The congress also urged that the next general election be held in May 1999 at the latest. "Any effort to delay it must be considered antireform and antidemocracy," it said.

The congress suggested that the next president be elected directly by the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

The upcoming extraordinary session of the People's Consultative Assembly on Nov. 10, it said, should revoke all antireform decrees. It also called for the dismissal of any Assembly members recruited through unfair practices under former president Soeharto's regime.

Regarding the national economic situation, PDI Perjuangan suggested the establishment of people-oriented economic policies in order to alleviate the suffering of those affected by the economic crisis.

The congress called for an intensive monitoring on the use of all foreign loans.

"The loans are supposed to be used only to restore the people's economy, not for any other purposes," it said.

It also urged a national-scale retrenchment movement, initiated by the state leaders and high-ranking officials.

Although it recognized the Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI) as an unseparable element of the nation's historical struggle, it demanded a better explanation of its political roles.

The congress completely supported a separation of the National Police from the Armed Forces, so that police personnel could independently perform their duties to maintain order in the country.

The congress' plenary session on Saturday also approved six out of eight drafts for a congress decree.

The first decree rules that the congress unanimously accept Megawati's accountability speech for her 1993/1998 leadership.