Megawati calls on PDI members to be faithful

JAKARTA (JP): Megawati Soekarnoputri, chief of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), held the line yesterday even as her rivals rushed ahead with their plan to hold a fresh chairmanship election.

Addressing a noisy, high spirited gathering of around 2,000 PDI supporters here yesterday, Megawati called the planned congress unconstitutional and told party members to stay united.

"I'm calling on you to stay united in order to maintain the image of PDI as one of the political parties in Indonesia," she told the placard-waving supporters.

"We still believe that the government and the Armed Forces will act wisely in their evaluation and determination of what's legal and constitutional," she added.

Even as she spoke, dissenting PDI members went ahead with their preparations for the congress, which is to be opened on Thursday in Medan, North Sumatra. The group, led by deputy chief Fatimah Achmad, yesterday sent invitations to reporters from various media to cover the event.

Megawati reiterated yesterday that, in accordance with 1994 party statutes, the party will not hold any congress mid-tenure so that it can prepare itself for the 1997 general elections.

The dissenters' plan to hold the congress not only violates party statutes, but obstructs the party's preparations for the election, she pointed out.

However, she said, more people have been coming to her defense and rejecting the rebel congress. She also said that letters of support have been flooding her camp.

Megawati called on her supporters to restrain themselves should the congress take place.

"Prove to the public that PDI members are a group of well- mannered people," she said.

During the gathering yesterday, PDI branches in Jakarta pledged their allegiance to Megawati and rejected "external interference", which they blame for rifts within the party.

Among the Megawati loyalists present in the gathering were legislator Sabam Sirait, head of PDI research center Kwik Kian Gie, PDI secretary-general Alex Litaay, and treasurer Noviantika.

Separately, assistant to the Armed Forces chief of sociopolitics, Maj. Gen. Suwarno Adiwidjojo, said that Megawati's plan to sue the government for endorsing that rival plan to hold a congress was "groundless".

"The demand (for a congress) does not violate the party's constitution, and it will be upheld," he said in Padang, West Sumatra, on Saturday.

"She would need accurate data to back up her plan to sue," he was quoted by Antara as saying. He did not elaborate.

Suwarno also rejected speculation that the government's stance on the planned congress has caused the rift to deepen.

"They are party leaders...please understand why they wanted to hold a congress," he said. "They wouldn't do it just because they want to have a position as chairman or legislator.

"There are fundamental problems which are causing the differences," he said.

Meanwhile, a number of lawyers belonging to the Advocacy Team of Indonesia said yesterday that the planned congress "should be invalidated" because it's "legally defective".

Spokesman Purbadi Hardjoprayitno called on President Soeharto yesterday to help ensure that the congress does not take place. "We believe in his wisdom," he said in a press conference.

The congress, should it take place, would only breed new problems and confuse people, the group said.

There were also reports yesterday that Megawati's camp has extended the deadline of an ultimatum to the breakaway faction, giving them until this evening to return to the party fold. The date set earlier was Saturday; there was no reason given for the extension. (16/swe)