Govt avows Soerjadi as PDI chief

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)