East Java PDI rift goes on
JAKARTA (JP): Keeping the conflict aflame within the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), Home Affairs Minister Yogie S.M. maintained his refusal yesterday to recognize leadership of the party's East Java chapter.
Yogie told the House of Representatives (DPR) in a hearing yesterday that the government cannot do anything to help solve the bickering so long as there are still two figures each claiming to be the legal leader of the East Java chapter.
"The government recognizes only one leader in every political organization," Yogie told members of DPR Commission II overseeing home affairs.
The chairmanship of the East Java PDI chapter is currently claimed by both Sucipto and Latief Pudjosakti. Sucipto was appointed by PDI boss Megawati Sukarnoputri and Latief received the backing of East Java governor Basofi Sudirman.
The government's refusal to recognize Sucipto and drop its favor of Latief has been widely seen as blatant interference in the PDI's internal affairs.
The PDI's top leadership is currently split into two opposing camps in the handling of the East Java party leadership crisis.
Megawati maintains Sucipto as the provincial party chapter chairman but her assistants, Edwin Sukowati and Gerry Mbatemooy, recognize Sucipto's arch rival, Latief.
The crisis stemmed from the party's failure to elect the new chapter leader in a congress earlier this year. Sucipto beat Latief in the election but the result was declared invalid when the number of ballot papers counted was more than that of the eligible voters.
With the conflict unresolved, the electoral board in the congress elected Latief, which received strong backing from the East Java governor but was opposed by Megawati.
Megawati stepped into the battle, choosing Sucipto for the legitimate chapter chief with the East Java governor, who favored Latief, refusing to recognize Sucipto.
Gerry Mbatemooy inaugurated Latief last week. In October, Megawati had to cancel Sucipto's inauguration after the governor refused to issue the permit.
Yogie said that the government has not recognized either Sucipto or Latief. He maintained that Megawati should decide first before a solution could be reached.
Internal problem
The minister has said that the leadership crisis is the PDI's internal problem. "The government will not interfere with the leadership crisis," he said.
The minister denied allegations that the East Java Governor Basofi Sudirman siphoned funds to Latief to support his political activities.
"It was not true that Basofi has given operational funds to Latief," he told reporters after the hearing.
The government's perceived meddling in the PDI's affairs provoked criticism from House, and PDI, member Soenarjo and AA Oka Mahendra from the ruling political organization, Golkar.
Soenarjo said that Sucipto was the legitimate chapter chief because he was appointed by the Megawati and that the government should recognize him.
Oka Mahendra questioned why the government should repeatedly promise it would not intervene in any congress of any major organizations when the public has found that officials have their own candidates for the chairmanship.
He reminded the minister not to interfere in PDI's internal problems otherwise the public would have a "negative opinion" about the party. (imn)