Cracks show within Lampung's PDI Perjuangan

Oyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post, Bandar Lampung

Another political rebellion has emerged from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), with several party officials in Lampung defying orders from the party's executive branch regarding the province's gubernatorial candidates.

In a decree issued by PDI Perjuangan chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, the party's local chapter has been ordered to support Oemarsono, the outgoing governor from the Golkar Party as a gubernatorial candidate, and Syamsuria Ryacudu, the brother of Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu, as a deputy gubernatorial candidate.

However, a number of legislators in the party's local chapter have defied the decree and nominated Alzier Dianis Thabranie as a gubernatorial candidate and Ansory Yunus as a deputy gubernatorial candidate.

"We agreed to nominate the last pair since they have won the support of locals, mostly party members," Lampung PDI Perjuangan chapter chairman Abbas Hadisunyoto said on Saturday.

He further accused the legislators of taking bribes from the candidates in support for their nomination.

"We did not take any bribes, that accusation is groundless," Abbas said.

President Megawati, through the decree, warned against a political rebellion, saying that the party would nominate only one gubernatorial candidate and one deputy gubernatorial candidate and those ignoring the decree would suffer party sanctions.

But several party figures and legislators disappointed with the party's policy have ignored the decree and called on the party to listen to the public's political aspirations instead of their personal interests.

"We protest the order, because we had decided on other candidates. We will not support Oemarsono," the party's North Lampung branch chairman, Hendro Prianto, said.

Megawati was widely criticized when she supported the nomination of Sutiyoso in the recent Jakarta gubernatorial election. Sutiyoso is accused of playing a major role in the bloody takeover of PDI Perjuangan headquarters on July 27, 1996, in which hundreds of Megawati's supporters were believed to have been killed.

The party also supported the nomination of Golkar legislator Nurdin Halid in the South Sulawesi gubernatorial election for unclear reasons. Nurdin was defeated in the election.

Megawati's choices have been similar to those of either the Indonesian Military (TNI) or Golkar Party, two opponents of the reform drive.

Separately, a political analyst from Lampung University, Nanang Trenggono, said that the party's internal rift may hamper the reelection of Oemarsono as governor.

A protest opposing Oemarsono's reelection has been held in Bandar Lampung over the past few days, with demonstrators vowing to continue rallies against him.

The protesters urged local councillors to take Oemarsono's name off the candidate list.