Indira determined to quit, PDI Perjuangan won't accept

Indira determined to quit, PDI Perjuangan won't accept

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The faction head of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
(PDI Perjuangan) in the House of Representatives, Roy B.B. Janis,
said on Tuesday his faction would not accept Indira Damayanti
Sugondo's resignation from the House.

"There is no valid reason for her to quit," Roy argued.

Indira, meanwhile, insisted that only her constituents could
prevent her from leaving her post.

"My reasons for quitting the faction were not considered
strong enough. How can he determine such a thing?" Indira asked.

She said if she did not resign as a legislator, it would only
make her resignation request appear to be lip service.

Roy, however, contended that Indira was nominated by PDI
Perjuangan to be a legislator, therefore the party's executive
board had the right to reject her resignation.

Roy acknowledged that he had received a letter from Indira in
which she stated that she would quit the faction in protest after
the party decided not to support the establishment of a special
House inquiry on the Rp 40 billion (US$4.4 million) scandal
involving House speaker Akbar Tandjung.

But, according to Roy, the reason mentioned in the letter was
not strong enough.

"We do not accept her request, but the final decision is still
(Indira's)," Roy conceded.

PDI Perjuangan's rejection is seen as a desperate attempt to
keep the biggest faction in the House intact, after several
others have expressed disappointment with many recent party
decisions.

Indira sent copies of the letter to chairwoman Megawati
Soekarnoputri and the faction on July 1 immediately after the
party failed to back the Akbar inquiry.

Indira confirmed last night that she had not received a formal
reply from either.

"I hope the (PDI Perjuangan) faction will soon contact me,
whatever its decision," Indira told The Jakarta Post by phone.

Indira was one of only five legislators from PDI Perjuangan
that voted for the establishment of the inquiry commission.

Most of the faction members abstained while three of them
voted against the proposal.

Her resignation from the faction was the third this year after
Sophan Sophiaan and Dimyati Hartono had earlier done so. They
have since formed a new party.

The resignation of the three legislators from the PDI
Perjuangan faction was fueled by their disappointment over the
party's stance, mainly its opposition to the proposal to form the
inquiry committee.

Fellow legislator Meilono Suwondo who also voted for the
establishment of the inquiry committee is one of perhaps dozens
of PDI Perjuangan legislators who are increasingly frustrated by
the party's recent positions.

PDI Perjuangan, once regarded as the party of the reform
movement, has become the target of public criticism for its
strangely inconsistent policies, most notably its rejection of
the House inquiry and its support of Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso
for his reelection.

Megawati, perhaps stung by the criticism coming from her own
party faithful, has said that her support of Sutiyoso was only
"personal support". However, reports made it quite clear that
Megawati had given an order for all PDI Perjuangan councillors to
back Sutiyoso or face punishment.