Govt promises to stay out of PPP chairmanship race
Govt promises to stay out of PPP chairmanship race
JAKARTA (JP): The government yesterday pledged to stay out of
the chairmanship race of the United Development Party (PPP), and
will not block the nomination of any candidate.
"The government will keep its hands off the congress. No
contenders will be blocked," Coordinating Minister for Political
Affairs and Security Soesilo Soedarman told reporters after a
monthly meeting with his subordinate ministers.
The government wishes to see the congress proceed smoothly,
Soesilo said, adding that the controversy about the chairmanship
in the run up to the PPP's congress was considered normal.
Tension has mounted between the various factions and leaders
of the party in the run up to the congress, which will be
launched in Jakarta on Sunday. The candidates, including
incumbent chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum, have traded accusations
as they jockey for position and support.
PPP is a fusion of four former Islamic parties -- Nahdlatul
Ulama (NU), Muslimin Indonesia (MI), Sarekat Islam (SI) and
Perti.
Ismail Hasan, who hails from MI, currently has the upper hand
over the other candidates. His chief contender is Mathori Abdul
Djalil, the party's secretary general who hails from NU.
The other candidates include Sri Bintang Pamungkas, Hamzah
Haz, Yusuf Hasyim, Karmani, Cholil Badlawi, Hartono Mardjono,
Husnie Thamrin, Yudo Paripurno and H.M. Dault.
The chairmanship race is also turning into a power struggle
between the four factions of the party, in particular between NU
and MI.
Democratic fashion
On a separate occasion, Mathori told the press yesterday the
main thing for him is the congress and the election proceed in a
democratic fashion.
He said that participants to the congress, who will elect the
party's chairman, should look at the candidates' individual
merits and not as representing certain factions.
"It will be a setback for the party if people stick to
factional thinking," he said.
Mathori said he believed that the government is not favoring
one candidate over another. "The government has bestowed its
blessing on all the candidates."
He sees himself as being close to the government, the Armed
Forces, the business community.
"It's not a problem for me if I am not elected and it is okay
if the people select me," he said, adding that the party needs a
popular leader who can accommodate the interests of the public.
Differences of opinion among party supporters on the question
of their leaders would in the end lead to unity of ideas. He said
that he was sure the congress would proceed smoothly.
Mathori also said that PPP needs "regeneration" and suggests
that the congress select figures who are below 60 years old in
the new line up of the central executive board.
Mathori has earlier claimed to have the support of many kyais,
or Moslem scholars, from NU.
The kyais, under the leadership of KH Syansuri Badlawi, have
not formally announced their candidate but have hinted that they
favored Mathori over other NU figures, including Hamzah Haz.
(par)