East Java rejects PDI rival board

East Java rejects PDI rival board

JAKARTA (JP): The establishment of a new rival executive
board for the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) has failed to
generate support among many of those named to it because they
were never consulted, nor informed about their inclusion.

PDI's East Java Chapter gave the strongest reaction to
announcement. The chapter called on party chairperson Megawati
Soekarnoputri to take punitive action against Gerry Mbatemooy and
his colleagues for their defiant move.

Sutjipto, the chairman of the chapter, was quoted by Antara
as saying that no one should take Gerry's action seriously and
that all should consider the rival board as nothing but a joke.

Those named onto the rival board are "the same old people
who always caused trouble in the party", Sutjipto said, pointing
out several names of people on the list, who made a similar
attempt to take over the party's leadership several years ago.

Gerry, whose position in Megawati's board fell into doubt
after he attempted to install one of Megawati's staunchest
opponents as East Java chapter chairman, announced the line-up of
the rival board on Thursday, saying that he was making the move
to save the party, which has been undermined by allegations that
some of its leaders were former communists.

He named Yusuf Merukh, a senior PDI leader, who was
sidelined by Megawati, as the new party chairman, and himself,
Sajid Soetjoro, Latief Poedjosakti, Edwin Hernawan Soekawati,
Clara Sitompul, Djufri, Purwanto D.W., Yahya Theo, Sardjito
Dharsoeki, Edi Djunaedi, Eddy Sukirman, Syamsi Hasan, Anang
Hairin Noor, Alex Asmasubrata and Marcus Wauran as deputy
chairmen.

F. As. Alwi was appointed as secretary-general. His deputies
include Suparman Adiwijaya, Soepardan, Endung Soetrisno, Udi
Suradi, M.Y. Soleh, Rusli Dahlan, Maswan, Sri Astati, Repita
Silalahi and Lambertus Gainadara.

Gerry named Mrs. Pangerapan as treasurer. Vice treasurers
are Neneng Amalia Dendawacana, Soetjipto and Abdul Djafar.

However, some of those named to the board said they were not
consulted beforehand and were reluctant to comment on their
inclusion until after they assessed the situation.

Alex Asmasoebrata, who played a key role in installing
Megawati at the PDI congress in December 1993, said that the move
by Gerry and his friends reflected the disappointment of some PDI
members in the current party leadership.

"Under Megawati, PDI has become weak," he told Antara.

Alex, the incumbent, who lost the election for the
chairmanship post of the PDI chapter in Jakarta this year, said
he was never asked whether or not he would be willing to sit on
the new board.

Gerry's move came only a few days after the West Java
military command announced its finding that the chairman of PDI's
chapter in West Java was widely suspected to have past communist
links.

The allegation against Djadjang Kunaedi, who is supported by
Megawati, seriously dented the party leadership.

Yusuf Merukh was quoted by Republika daily as saying that
the formation of the rival board was a serious move to save the
party and to relieve Megawati of her burden.

It is not "an end of the year joke", said Yusuf, the
chairman of the new rival board.

He alleged that there are around 40 members of PDI in West
Java who are suspected to have past communist links and around
300 in PDI throughout all of Indonesia.

Gerry said the new board plans to move in to the party
headquarters on Jl. Diponegoro 58, Jakarta. (pwn)