Dissenters will not be dismissed: PDI
JAKARTA (JP): The challenged executive board of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) softened its stance yesterday, saying it would not immediately dismiss a group of dissenters pushing for a fresh chairman election.
The board, who set yesterday as the deadline for the party's splinter group to return to the fold or face dismissal, still expects them to fall in line, according to deputy chairman Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno, a loyalist of embattled chief Megawati Soekarnoputri.
"We won't hastily dismiss the dissenters, as we still expect them to come back," Soetardjo said in a press conference at the party's headquarters yesterday. He did not give a new deadline for the dissenters.
He also asked all PDI members to boycott the congress planned by the dissenters, as it is against the party's statutes.
A group of breakaways led by deputy chief Fatimah Achmad has decided to hold the congress and chairman election at the Pangkalan Mansyur Haj Dormitory in Medan, North Sumatra, from June 20 to June 24.
Despite Megawati's protests, a number of senior government officials, including Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. who is the country's "political patron", have openly endorsed the gathering.
Soetardjo, however, said the party still believed the government would handle the rift in the party wisely.
During the press conference, Soetardjo also revealed that the board has yet to receive a reply to its letter of complaint to Armed Forces Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung.
In the letter, Megawati's board said that a number of individuals in the Armed Forces have pressured a number of PDI branches to attend the congress.
Another Megawati's loyalist, deputy secretary-general of the board Haryanto Taslam said that, as of yesterday, 64 branches have withdrawn their support for Fatimah's plan and pledged loyalty to Megawati.
"What will the dissenters say when they find out that there are only 77 branches left that support the congress?" he questioned. "This means that the so-called demand for a congress is not made by the majority of the 306 branches."
There have been claims and counter-claims from both camps. In the beginning, Fatimah's group claimed that 215 of the 306 branches called for a congress. Megawati's camp later disputed the statement and said that there was evidence that only 141 branches did so.
Meanwhile, calls for the two camps to call a truce, lest the rift grow into a major open conflict that threatened national stability, kept pouring in.
Minister of Defense and Security Edi Sudradjat said in Yogyakarta yesterday that the party should immediately resolve the rift by holding talks between the two camps. However, he pointed out that the conflict should be managed through the congress.
"The planned congress should help settle the party's internal problem," he was quoted by Antara as saying.
He declined to say whether he would attend the congress, which would be another sign of government endorsement.
In Surabaya, leading PDI member Soetjipto said that if the congress took place, about one million PDI members and supporters would march to Jakarta to display their support for Megawati.
"We are planning to see the Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M., who initially recommended the congress," he told The Jakarta Post.
Soetjipto is also embroiled in a leadership conflict. He is Megawati's man for the East Java chapter leadership, but has been challenged by self-styled chairman Latief Pudjosakti.
Also in Surabaya, a number of Megawati supporters yesterday burned a picture of deputy House Speaker Soerjadi, who they claimed to be masterminding the planned congress. (imn/15)