Long-time allies pull the rug from under Ismail Hasan

Long-time allies pull the rug from under Ismail Hasan

JAKARTA (JP): The chances Ismail Hasan Metareum will retain
his post as chairman of the United Development Party (PPP) were
severely undermined yesterday when long-time powerful allies
decided to pull the carpet out from under him just three weeks
before the election.

Six of the seven influential PPP figures who played a vital
role in his rise to power five years ago decided to withdraw
their support, saying that he did not have the political will to
develop the Moslem-based party.

The "Group of Eight" or "Kodel Group", of which Ismail Hasan
is a member, was set up late in the 1980s to oust the then
powerful, government-backed PPP chairman, H.J. Naro.

The other members are Aisyah Aminy, Husni Thamrin, Mohamad
Sulaiman, Holil Badawi, Yusuf Sakir, Hartono Mardjono and Faisal
Basir. Now, Ismail Hasan can rely only on Aisyah's loyalty.

The dissident members said they were disappointed by Ismail
Hasan's lack of openness in party policies and his
inconsistencies in implementing the political organization's
rules.

In a letter to Ismail Hasan, Thamrin criticized him for
harboring suspicions against fellow party leaders.

"From the drafts of the party statutes offered to regional
branches, it is obvious that Ismail Hasan has no political will
to develop PPP," Thamrin said.

"I bid you good bye, may God clear your heart of all
suspicions, hatred and vengeance," said Thamrin, a former student
activist, who is well known as an outspoken politician.

Another dissident, Mohamad Sulaiman, told The Jakarta Post
that he and Ismail Hasan had "too many differences" on principle
party policies.

He said that a major weakness in the current PPP board of
executives was the poor coordination.

He said it was embarrassing that Ismail Hasan was competing
with the party's secretary-general, Matori Abdul Djalil, for the
top spot and that both were making such a major issue of
factions. Mohamad Sulaiman added that this was exacerbating and
deepening internal conflicts.

"I think both Matori and Ismail Hasan should withdraw from the
race for the sake of PPP's good name," he said.

PPP is a 1973 fusion of four Moslem organizations: NU, MI,
Perti and PSII. Ismail Hasan is affiliated with MI, which has
dominated the party's leadership since the party was formed 21
years ago. Matori belongs to NU, the largest faction.

Sulaiman said the six dissidents have not decided on which
candidate they will back.

Ismail Hasan still appears to be the strongest of five
candidates, but he has yet to prove that he is strong enough to
endure efforts by regional leaders to upset his re-election bid.

Rafie Achmad, deputy chairman of the Tangerang PPP branch,
yesterday called on other branches not to support Ismail Hasan on
the grounds that his policies have resulted in internal
conflicts.

Ismail Hasan has secured support from 22 of the 25 regional
branches in West Java and several more from other provinces. The
latest backing came from his home province of Aceh yesterday.

The support was announced at the end of a two-day meeting of
10 regional branches in the capital city of Banda Aceh on
Tuesday.

The chairman of the Aceh chapter of PPP, H.M. Kaoy Syah, said
that the support was lent not because Ismail Hasan hails from
Aceh, but because he had the qualities that a party leader must
have.

"Ismail Hasan has the right blend of ulema, intellectual and
idealism; qualities that haven't worn thin since his youth," he
said as quoted by Antara. (pan)