Megawati camp protests candidate list endorsement

JAKARTA (JP): Megawati Soekarnoputri is to lodge a protest with the General Elections Institute today against endorsement of the list of legislature candidates submitted by Soerjadi, who last year ousted her from the helm of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).

Megawati's central executive board, no longer recognized by the government, is to send a copy of its protest letter to the National Commission on Human Rights.

Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno, deputy chairman of Megawati's board, told reporters yesterday the list of legislature candidates announced by the institute Monday was filed by the "illegal and unconstitutional" party central board led by Soerjadi.

"As the party's central board, under the legitimate leadership of Megawati, we strongly protest and reject (Soerjadi's) central board's list of legislative candidates for the 1997 general election," he said.

He said Soerjadi's board had not yet been legally recognized and should therefore not have been allowed to draw up and submit a list of legislature candidates.

"We are urging the institute to drop (Soerjadi's) list. Otherwise, it will have unfavorable political impacts and erode the quality and credibility of the 1997 general election," Soetardjo said.

The board also called on the government to "sincerely look into the real problem and find solutions," Soetardjo said.

Yesterday, Soetardjo was accompanied by the party's secretary- general Alex Litaay, deputy secretary-general Haryanto Taslam, and I Gusti Ngurah Sarah. Megawati was absent.

Soetardjo said the protest would also be sent to the National Commission on Human Rights, which had clearly accused Soerjadi and his 200 men of involvement in the July 27 violent takeover of the party's headquarters. The incident led to riots that left five dead and 23 others still missing.

Alex pointed out Soerjadi's alleged involvement in the takeover as another factor that made his claim to party leadership "legally defective". The institute had the right to turn down lists of legislature candidates drawn up by such leaders, he pointed out.

Chairman of the Election Screening Committee Sutoyo N.K. urged the public Monday not to hesitate in lodging complaints to the institute about any candidates.

However, he said, complaints should be supported by facts so corrective measures could be taken, adding that justified complaints could result in the dismissal of candidates.

Separately, the chairman of the 30 million-strong Nahdlatul Ulama organization, Abdurrahman Wahid, pointed out raising objections against legislature candidates would be "complicated."

"Complicated, meaning the person filing the objection should be probed along with various and complicated evidence," Abdurrahman told reporters after meeting with Vice President Try Sutrisno yesterday.

Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, said if the institute had been brave enough to invite objections from the public, it should have prepared mechanisms for the purpose.

"Let's just see how it (the invitation) turns out," the chairman of Indonesia's largest Moslem organization said. (08)

Editorial -- Page 4