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.