Court rejects Megawati loyalists' suit

Court rejects Megawati loyalists' suit

SEMARANG (JP): The district court rejected yesterday a law
suit filed by loyalists of the deposed leader of the Indonesian
Democratic Party (PDI) Megawati Soekarnoputri against their
political foes.

Megawati's supporters accused their rivals of attending a
government-blessed rebel congress in Medan which deposed her and
elected Soerjadi.

Presiding judge Mardjijo said that the court had no authority
to try an internal dispute such as the one that riddles the
minority party.

He recommended that the disputing party leaders resolve their
problems amicably "for the good of the party".

Standing accused were Soemarjo and Danang Suwito, respectively
chiefs of the Central Java and Semarang chapters of the PDI. He
led a delegation to the rebel congress in Medan last June.

The lawsuit is part of Megawati loyalists' bid to sue
Soerjadi's supporters across the country on charges of betraying
commitment to her legal leadership.

Megawati had her lawsuit rejected by the Central Jakarta in
October against the government for backing the congress and
Soerjadi for organizing the rebel congress. The court said it had
no authority to try the "internal dispute".

Samekto, the lawyer representing Megawati loyalists in
Semarang, said he would appeal.

"Why should the court have conducted so many hearings if it
would only reject our suit? We will definitely appeal," Samekto
said.

Haryanto Taslam, a senior PDI official loyal to Megawati said
he personally could accept the court's decision.

The lawsuit, he said, is essentially to show the public
whether the court of justice is truly independent from the
bureaucracy's influence. (har/pan)