Hamzah woos young members of PPP

Hamzah woos young members of PPP

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Incumbent United Development Party (PPP) Hamzah Haz promised on
Tuesday to give more positions to younger members in the party if
he won his bid for reelection.

Speaking in the opening of the party's congress here, Hamzah,
who is the vice president, said young leaders were in demand to
boost the party's competitiveness during the elections.

"The number of parties that will join the election is
increasing, so we must have new blood to lead the party in order
to be more competitive," said Hamzah.

PPP won 12 percent of the vote, in third place after
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and
Golkar Party, to earn 58 seats in the House of Representatives.

Hamzah, who was elected in 1999, has been touted to win a
second term. Hailing from Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama,
Hamzah will face a stiff challenge from Bachtiar Chamsyah, who
represents another faction in the party, Muslimin Indonesia,

Like Hamzah, Bachtiar is also in the Cabinet as Minister of
Social Affairs.

The competition between the two figures has been fierce even
before the congress. Hamzah is largely supported by the old guard
while Bachtiar claims to represent the young generation.

The congress has been moved forward from its original schedule
in 2004, following demands from younger cadres. Hamzah bowed to
the demand after a group of party members under Zainuddin MZ
broke away and set up their own party.

In response to Hamzah's move to woo younger cadres, Bachtiar
said he was ready to run for the chairmanship.

Given his considerable support from the young generation,
Bachtiar expressed confidence that he would win the race.

"Even, Hamzah himself has urged more young members to take the
lead in the party," he said.

Bachtiar asserted that his candidacy would boost
democratization in the party.

"We would like to see more than one candidates in the coming
election, and it is up to the members to choose," Bachtiar said.

Around 1,000 party members are taking part in the four-day
congress, which is aimed at consolidating the party ahead of the
2004 elections.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri, who also chairs PDI
Perjuangan, and People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien
Rais, who heads the National Mandate Party, attended the opening
ceremony of the congress. The two leading figures are possible
contenders in the presidential election next year.

Separately, political analyst Indria Samego said he was
skeptical that Hamzah's tactic to woo young party members would
work.

Indria, a researcher with the Indonesian Institute of Science
(LIPI), said that, on one side the tactic to lure young guns
could help erode Bachtiar's political base. But on the other
hand, the move could draw strong resistance from the older
members, who could not accept the presence of their juniors in
the party's inner circle.

"The support from the old guard remains important, because
they usually have vast political networks," he said.