Govt avows Soerjadi as PDI chief

JAKARTA (JP): The government reaffirmed yesterday its recognition of controversial Soerjadi as the legitimate chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).

Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. rejected suggestions that the minority party call another extraordinary meeting to elect a new, more acceptable leader.

"We have never imagined issuing permit for an extraordinary congress," Yogie told reporters.

He said calling such a congress was impossible because the minority party has only six months to consolidate before it takes part in next year's general election.

Yogie made the remarks less than a week after one of his aides suggested that the PDI may elect a new chief if most PDI members do not want Soerjadi at the helm.

Soerjadi was elected in a government-sanctioned rebel congress in June. He deposed Megawati Soekarnoputri, who was elected by popular vote in 1993.

Megawati still clings to her claim that she is the legitimate party chief until her mandatory term ends in 1998.

Yogie said he was optimistic Soerjadi will be able to consolidate party leadership before the 1997 general election, in which the PDI will compete against the ruling Golkar and the United Development Party (PPP).

Soerjadi has had a hard time consolidating party leadership in various provinces, as support for Megawati remains strong. He has been embarrassed by rejection from party members during recent consolidation visits to various cities in Java.

Government support for Soerjadi had Monday been voiced by Commander of the Armed Forces Gen. Feisal Tanjung.

The Armed Forces, which made the June congress possible, recognizes only the "constitutional" PDI executive board, a reference to Soerjadi.

The proposal for a fresh congress, which has received tacit support from Soerjadi, has confused PDI senior members from opposing camps.

Yahya Nasution, a Megawati loyalist, has ridiculed the idea, saying Megawati is the undisputed party chief and his camp would not even think of a congress until 1998.

"We have never ever recognized the June congress (that elected Soerjadi)," said Yahya, a PDI senior member of the House of Representatives.

Anwar Datuk, one of Soerjadi's supporters, also rejected the idea for different reasons. He said he believed the proposal came from "a third party" who wants to see the notorious PDI leadership rift drag on.

"What are they doing to us?" he said. "We are consolidating leadership and have never thought of a congress," he said.

Political scholar Arbi Sanit is an independent observer who has come out in opposition of a fresh party chief election.

He argues that a congress would not solve the leadership conflict because both Soerjadi and Megawati have strong supporters.

"If either is elected, dissatisfaction will remain in the losing camp and the enmity will remain," said the lecturer of political science from University of Indonesia.

He also rejected the idea of having Megawati and Soerjadi sit and discuss the best way to end the conflict, such as coalition. "Megawati will reject the idea because she has flatly rejected Soerjadi."

He suggested, instead, that the government stop meddling in the PDI's internal affairs and let its leaders solve their dispute without government interference.

He predicted that the PDI's showing in next year's election would be poor due to the conflict. (imn/25/21)