Govt reasserts recognition of Megawati's leadership

JAKARTA (JP): The government reiterated yesterday that it rejects the rival leadership of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) under Yusuf Merukh.

"The government does not recognize Yusuf Merukh. From the beginning we have always stressed that we recognize the leaders elected constitutionally (under Megawati Soekarnoputri)," Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. said.

Yusuf, Megawati's arch political rival, has been installing rival leadership boards in the provinces. Last week, he narrowly escaped a physical attack by Megawati supporters angered by his plan to set up a rival board in North Sumatra.

In Yogyakarta, Megawati's supporters reportedly forcibly dispersed last week a meeting of PDI activists who wanted to establish a rival board there.

Megawati, the eldest daughter of Indonesia's first president Sukarno, was elected PDI chief by popular vote at an extraordinary party congress in 1993, defeating government-backed candidates.

Her leadership has been undermined by her rivals. In East Java she is facing, not only political foes who refuse to acknowledge her leadership, but also a provincial administration which continues to bar her from meeting with her supporters on the pretext that her presence in the province would create chaos.

On at least five occasions Megawati has been refused permission to enter the province to install Sutjipto, who was elected chairman of the PDI's East Java branch at last year's provincial congress.

Today, Megawati is scheduled to make a further attempt to discuss the crisis with Yogie. But the minister said yesterday he was unaware of the planned meeting.

PDI Secretary General Alexander Litaay told The Jakarta Post that PDI leaders would discuss with the minister the importance of their being able to meet with PDI members in East Java.

"We will ask the government for advice on how to solve the problem," he said. (pwn)