Mega refuses blame for PDI-P woes

Mega refuses blame for PDI-P woes

M. Taufiqurrahman and Dwi Atmanta, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) leader Megawati
Soekarnoputri defended her achievements over the past five years,
saying she was not to blame for the party's disappointing
showings in the 2004 legislative and presidential elections.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the PDI-P national
congress here on Monday, she said members of the party's central
board and leaders of local PDI-P branches were to blame for
failing to reach out to voters during the elections.

"I repeatedly told members of the central board and leaders of
local PDI-P branches to reach out to the people. However, there
were some who turned a deaf ear to my call and forgot about their
commitment to fight for the interests of the people," she said.

Megawati said this attitude led to antipathy toward the PDI-P
and drove voters to other political parties.

She also said that her position as the incumbent president
when the elections took place hurt her chances of winning a full
five-year mandate.

"Circumstances drove me to make scores of unpopular policies
that were aimed at helping the country's economy survive," she
said.

Reform-minded members of the PDI-P are seeking to end
Megawati's leadership of the party following its poor showing in
the elections. Members of this group include PDI-P central board
member Roy B.B. Janis, businessman Arifin Panigoro and former
state minister for development planning Kwik Kian Gie.

The group, which is backing Megawati's brother, Guruh
Soekarnoputra, to take over as head of the party, says Megawati's
aloof leadership style has driven away party members and
supporters.

Megawati said she welcomed the reform drive, as long as the
reformists did not violate the party's standing orders.

"A political party without renewal cannot claim to be a
democratic institution -- but the idea of reform has to be
brought forward through agreed-upon procedures," she said.

Megawati cast doubt over the intentions of the reform camp,
saying it was more interested in taking over the party leadership
than introducing reforms.

"This could be the result of outside interference," she said.

Guruh was present as Megawati delivered her speech. He had
originally been excluded from the guests list, before being added
on Sunday evening.

Prior to the ceremony, Guruh said he would pursue his campaign
to take over leadership of the party. He claimed to have the
support of 1,000 of the 1,800 participants at the congress with
voting rights.

Megawati's speech was delivered to an audience largely devoid
of members of the opposition group. Congress organizers have been
able to keep supporters of the reform movement away from the
venue at the Grand Bali Beach hotel, prompting them to camp
outside the heavily guarded hotel.

Congress participants and journalists attending the event have
to pass through several security checks said by some to be more
thorough than the security measures adopted while Megawati was
still president.

Cellular phone communication inside the venue is not possible
because the signals have been blocked.

Outside of the venue, a minor scuffle occurred on Monday
between supporters of Megawati and the reform movement. Riot
police and hundreds of civilian guards in traditional Balinese
dress immediately stepped in and prevented the spat from
escalating.

After the supporters of the reform camp were led away from
outside the congress venue, Megawati's supporters became more
vocal in their support of the party leader.

The supporters encouraged exiting congress participants to
show their support for Megawati.

Although the reform group has vowed to push ahead with its
agenda, Kwik made a statement that could cast doubt over that
agenda.

"The reform movement is finished. The movement was over when
organizers of the congress invited us to attend. Our role is to
make the call for change, and now that duty is over," he said
after the opening ceremony.