Kwik backs away from corruption remark

Kwik backs away from corruption remark

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)
executive Kwik Kian Gie said Thursday that he was wrong to label
the party as the most corrupt of the country's political parties.

Kwik said his statement was a connotation in nature which was
not based on any calculation, and therefore it was wrong.

"I was told that I was wrong (in naming the party as the most
corrupt)," Kwik said after a meeting with President Megawati
Soekarnoputri, in her capacity as PDI Perjuangan chairwoman, at
the State Palace on Thursday.

Kwik created shock waves on Monday when he said that PDI
Perjuangan was the most corrupt party in the country, and that
this would lead to the ousting of the party in the 2004
elections.

PDI Perjuangan is one of the many parties founded in the wake
of the reform movement that deposed former president Soeharto in
May 1998.

His remark drew opposition from other senior party members,
including First Gentleman Taufik Kiemas, Minister of Manpower and
Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea and State Minister for State
Enterprises Laksamana Sukardi, who even asked for Kwik's
resignation.

On Thursday, however, Jacob, Kwik and Laksamana held a press
conference after a Cabinet meeting at the State Palace. Megawati
asked to meet the three after the meeting.

"We talked about the issue for about 10 minutes, and it has
been settled," said Kwik.

During the meeting, Megawati did not comment much, Kwik said.

"It seems that she knew the problem before we brought it to
her."

Jacob said PDI Perjuangan members must bear Kwik's criticisms,
because Megawati has a close relationship with Kwik and
considered him an important figure of PDI Perjuangan.

"However, she said that Pak Kwik must use 'mild words' to
criticize the party," he said

Kwik, the State Minister of National Development Planning,
however, said that he would remain critical of the party and the
government.

"However, I have to be more careful," he added.

Meanwhile, the Semarang branch of PDI Perjuangan demanded on
Thursday that the party central executive board dismiss Kwik
because his statement could cause popular unrest and damage the
party's image.

The party expected to discuss about Kwik during a meeting next
week, the party's secretary general Sutjipto said.