Maulana elected KNPI chair

Maulana elected KNPI chair

JAKARTA (JP): Maulana Isman of Kosgoro, an organization
affiliated to Golkar, was finally elected new chairman of the
Indonesian National Youth Committee (KNPI) last night.

Maulana, younger brother of Minister of Youth Affairs and
Sports Hayono Isman, won 28 out of 67 votes. Former stronger
contenders Taufiq Hidayat of the Islamic Students Association
and Djoko Purwongemboro of Panca Marga Youth Organization,
respectively won 25 and 12 votes. Kaharuddin Syah from Pemuda
Pancasila organization gained two votes.

Taufiq had earlier been said to have the blessing of Army
Chief of Staff Gen. R. Hartono while Armed Forces (ABRI)
Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung had last week indicated he preferred
to have someone from either Panca Marga or the Communication
Forum of Ex-Servicemen's Children at the organization's helm.
Feisal had argued that the two youth organizations he mentioned
were close to ABRI.

The four names had been chosen from seven candidates in a
preliminary election that started much later than scheduled. The
three who failed to make it to the final round were Adhyaksa of
KNPI's Jakarta chapter, Ramly H.M. Yusuf of the outgoing
executive board, Gatot Sudjito of KNPI's East Java chapter.

The election was decided by 68 votes: 27 of them belong to the
representatives of the 27 provincial chapter of KNPI, 39 belong
to representatives of the youth groups that make up KNPI, one
vote is from the Indonesian Council of Youths -- the KNPI's
honorary council, and the last belongs to the outgoing executive
board. (imn/swe)