Focus shifts to PDI-P secretary-general

Focus shifts to PDI-P secretary-general

SEMARANG (JP): With Megawati Soekarnoputri's reelection to the
top post in the Indonesian Democratic of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan) a foregone conclusion, everyone is now anticipating
who will become secretary-general.

Delegations from North Sulawesi, East Java, West Java, East
Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan and South Sumatra asked the
congress to pick deputy chairman Sutjipto as the new secretary-
general to accompany Megawati in leading the party in the next
five years.

Another deputy chairman Roy B.B. Janis, who also chairs the
Jakarta provincial chapter, gained support from the Jakarta and
Manado delegations, while Bondan Gunawan, acting State Secretary,
was nominated by the Brebes, Central Java delegation.

The congress steering committee chairman V.B. da Costa said on
Thursday that Roy deserved the secretary general position not
only because he resides in Jakarta, but because he also
represents east Indonesia. He was raised in North Sulawesi in the
capital of Manado.

Several new names joined the race for the party's next
secretary-general and deputy chairman at the party's first
congress held here yesterday.

Besides Roy and Bondan, Chris Siner Key Timu -- a member of
the government critics group known as Petisi 50 group -- was also
vying for the secretary-general position. His nomination gained
support from all the Flores Island and East Nusa Tenggara
delegations.

Despite their slim chances, Eros Djarot and Dimyati Hartono
refused to back down from their bids for the party's top
position. The two candidates claimed on Thursday to secure
support for their nominations.

Dimyati received support from delegations representing
Gorontalo, North Sulawesi, Fakfak and Jayapura in Papua, while
Eros won the hearts of delegations from Banjarmasin in South
Kalimantan and Hulubanyu Ilir in South Sumatra.

Da Costa and his colleague Mochtar Buchori said that only a
few of the 241 attending delegations supported Dimyati and Eros
while a majority backed Megawati.

A member of the congress steering committee, who requested
anonymity, revealed that many party branches failed to name their
candidates.

"They declined to mention their candidates in the plenary
session because of the unfavorable conditions in the congress,"
da Costa said.

The election for the chief post will take place on Saturday.

Intimidation

Dimyati reiterated that the atmosphere of the congress was no
longer democratic because many delegations who supported his
candidacy were too intimidated to enter the debate.

"Many delegates told me that the situation in the congress was
so terrible that they lacked courage to freely express their
opinions," he said.

He added that all participants, including the existing
candidates, must accept the fact that the congress might
eventually decide to nominate Megawati.

"However, all delegations should be free in nominating their
candidates before the congress makes a decision," he said.

Thursday's plenary session was twice disrupted by Kolaka in
Southeast Sulawesi and Palangkaraya in Central Kalimantan
delegations. Only after Megawati intervened was order restored.

"Megawati is powerful because participants seem to only listen
to her," a participant said.

Cornelis Lay, who is attending the congress as an observer,
said that the congress proceeded in a democratic fashion and that
most delegations managed to convey their agendas to the congress
without any problems.

"Most PDI Perjuangan supporters want Megawati to lead the
party," he said, adding that he did not see any indication of
bribery or other forms of intimidating behavior behind the
nomination of candidates.

The congress still has to hash out an accountability report of
the outgoing executive board, review the party's statute, along
with future party programs and the party chief's election rules
before it concludes on Saturday. (swa/har/rms)