Guruh no show for PDI meeting

JAKARTA (JP): Guruh Soekarnoputra failed to show up to an Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) meeting where he was due to clear-up rumors that he may jump-ship to the ruling Golkar.

PDI faction leaders waited one and a half-hours in vain for the member of the House of Representatives' Commission IX in charge of education and culture.

"We are going to report this to the party's executive board," said Markus Wauran, secretary of PDI faction at the House of Representatives, reported Antara.

In a letter dated Oct. 31, 1996 and signed by Fatimah Achmad, chairperson of PDI faction at the House, Guruh had been asked to attend the meeting at 12 a.m. yesterday. His secretary had said he would attend.

Party executives will schedule another meeting. "We will tolerate him and give him three opportunities," Markus said.

But it is possible he may be dismissed if he refuses to come to the next meetings.

"Wait and see. It could happen," Markus said.

Guruh is the younger brother of ousted PDI chief Megawati Soekarnoputri, both children of the late Sukarno, Indonesia's founding father and first president. He displayed great support for Megawati when the latter was unseated by government-backed Soerjadi at a congress in June in Medan, North Sumatra.

Fatimah was one of a number of party executives sacked by Megawati earlier this year, but reinstated by the current executive board under Soerjadi.

Speculations, that Guruh might abandon the conflict-ridden party and jump ship to Kosgoro, a cooperative affiliated with Golkar, have grown since he appeared in public recently with Golkar leaders.

Guruh, a choreographer and accomplished musician, produced his latest album, entitled NTXTC (No To Ecstasy), in cooperation with Kosgoro.

Guruh had dismissed the speculations, saying he wanted to concentrate on arts and cultural activities because his position as a legislator had not allowed him to do more for the development of arts and culture in the country.

He promised to carry out his duties as legislator until the end of his tenure in October 1997.

"I have etiquette. I joined officially and I will leave formally too," Guruh said, adding that he has not been listed as a PDI candidate for another term. (ste)