Hamzah undecided about PPP congress

JAKARTA: United Development Party (PPP) chairman Hamzah Haz said on Friday that his party had yet to determine the exact date on which its national congress would be held, saying the issue would be discussed during a leadership meeting in June.

He underlined that he had yet to receive requests from the party's branches to bring forward the congress to 2003, implying that there was still a possibility that the party congress would be held in 2004 as previously scheduled.

"None of the party branches have officially asked for the congress to be brought forward," Hamzah said after Friday prayers.

He added that the party leaders were saving their energies for the June leadership meeting.

The party has showed signs of panicking after a splinter group established a new party headed by noted Muslim preacher Zainuddin MZ. Several central executive board members have asked for the congress to be brought forward to maintain party unity. -- JP