East Java PDI branch dissidents strike back
East Java PDI branch dissidents strike back
JAKARTA (JP): Dissidents of the rift-plagued Indonesian
Democratic Party (PDI) from East Java struck back at their
opponents yesterday.
They turned up at the House of Representatives to respond to
accusations hurled by Subagio, a PDI House member of the opposing
camp, that they have acted like "street gangsters."
Subagio had criticized the dissidents for rejecting the PDI
central executive board's policy on the East Java PDI leadership,
provoking the government to meddle in the party's internal
affairs.
The nine-member delegation, led by Sani Setiadi, was met by
members of House Commission II overseeing domestic affairs but
PDI commission representatives were conspicuously absent. The
dissidents disclosed their internal conflict to legislators from
the PDI's rival parties, the United Development Party (PPP) and
the ruling Golkar faction as well as the Armed Forces.
Subagio made the remarks during a hearing between the
commission and Minister of Home Affairs Moch Yogie S.M. last
week.
"Subagio should know that the party's crisis in East Java was
triggered by decree No. 043. He should have learned from us
before he made the statement," Sani said.
The decree issued by chief of the PDI central executive board
Megawati Soekarnoputri in 1994 appointed Sutjipto to replace
Latief Pudjosakti as the new East Java chapter chair after a
congress failed to elect a new chairman.
As loyalists of Latief, they rejected the decree and still
recognize him as their legitimate leader. The leadership conflict
prompted East Java governor Basofi Sudirman to controversially
exclude the PDI from the provincial committee for the 1997
general election, and thereby provoke another storm.
Setiadi said the July 12-13, 1994, congress in Malang, East
Java, failed to elect a new chapter chairman after it was
discovered that the number of ballot papers exceeded the number
of participants eligible to vote.
To break the deadlock, the congress formed an eight member
electoral board chaired by Megawati to elect the new chapter
board of executives.
Just a day ahead of the Aug. 13 deadline, the electoral board
again failed to elect a new leadership. Three board members,
including Megawati walked out of the meeting and the remaining
five voted for Latief, who received government backing.
"The majority of the board members had decided to elect
Latief. About 10 days later, Megawati came out with her own
choice. How come?" he said.
House member Daniel Toding refused to discuss the matter and
only promised to bring the dissidents' protest to the attention
of "the relevant parties."
Local leadership conflict which might provoke government
intervention is also brewing within the PPP branch of the
Pekanbaru municipality in Riau.
The Antara news agency reported yesterday that chief of the
Riau provincial PPP chapter Kadir Abbas is enraged by the party's
central executive board's rejection of Syahril Syam, elected
branch chairman by a recent congress.
Instead, PPP central executive board chairman Ismail Hasan
Metareum chose Azhar Salim to lead the branch office for the
1995-2000 term.
"Syahril Syam was elected democratically in the congress. How
can the central executive board force its own choice on us?"
Kadir said.
In the congress held in September last year, Azhar was
appointed deputy chairman. Pekanbaru mayor Oesman Effendy has
said the government recognizes Azhar Salim.
Kadir vows to defend the congress' decision and branded Ismail
Hasan's intervention as "undemocratic." (pan)