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.