Govt reasserts recognition of Megawati's leadership

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)