Megawati could lose PDI-P top job in Bali
Megawati could lose PDI-P top job in Bali
M. Taufiqurrahman and Kornelius Purba, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Clearly worried that she could face the same fate as former
Golkar leader Akbar Tandjung, Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI-P) leader Megawati Soekarnoputri warned President
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's government not to try to oust her from
her post at the party's congress next month.
Both Susilo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla -- who replaced
Akbar at Golkar's congress in Bali in December -- responded by
saying the government had no interest in interfering in PDI-P's
congress. However, Megawati still has every reason to worry about
the future of her leadership of the nationalist-leaning party.
In Bali last December, just one day after participants of the
Golkar congress gave a standing ovation to Akbar for his success
in leading Golkar to the position of the country's most powerful
political party -- after the PDI-P held the position for five
years -- Akbar lost his leadership post to Kalla.
Akbar is a very skillful politician and Kalla is far from
being able to match Akbar in this capacity. There are allegations
that Kalla, a business tycoon from Makassar, South Sulawesi, was
only able to oust Akbar because of his money.
By unseating Akbar, Kalla and the government hoped they would
face no significant hurdles in exercising effective governance.
Before this, the government only controlled a minority in the
House of Representatives.
Although Golkar under Akbar never positioned itself as an
opposition to the government, its alliance with the PDI-P, which
was forged to support the reelection bid of Megawati in the
September runoff presidential election, meant it was likely be a
thorn in the government's side. Taken together, PDI-P and Golkar
make up the largest political grouping in the House, which has
the power to hinder government policies.
Now that Akbar has been relegated to the dustbin of history,
Megawati fears the same thing will befall her, especially after
senior members of her party -- whose links to the government, if
any, remain to be seen -- began aggravating for her removal from
the PDI-P leadership post.
It is true that Golkar is different from PDI-P, although both
are nationalist-oriented parties. Different from Golkar, which
was founded by former president Soeharto, Megawati's party is
ideologically inspired by the country's first president, Sukarno,
Megawati's father.
PDI-P depends very much on Megawati and she leads the party
with an iron fist. In the 1999 general election, three years
after Soeharto's fall, her party won the largest number of seats
in the House. Her refusal to form a coalition with other parties
cost her dearly in the 1999 presidential election. She was only
able to land the vice presidential seat, with Abdurrahman Wahid
winning the presidency. She replaced Abdurrahman in 2001
following a prolonged conflict between Abdurrahman and the House.
But Megawati is different from Akbar. The Golkar congress
participants applauded Akbar for his success in bringing the
party close to the "glory" it enjoyed under Soeharto. In the
legislative election in April last year, Megawati's party lost
considerable ground from its showing in 1999, and in the
presidential election Susilo easily defeated her.
Megawati must take the majority of the blame for these
setbacks because people were upset with her performance as
president.
Businessman-cum-politician Arifin Panigoro spearheaded a
movement to reform PDI-P into a modern political party and free
it from Megawati's grip.
The presence of Arifin -- an oil baron -- in the movement
should serve as a warning to Megawati that she will face a strong
contender with "unlimited" resources in the drive to unseat her.
Also joining the movement are top party officials such as Roy
B.B. Janis, former state minister for state enterprises Laksamana
Sukardi, former minister of national development planning Kwik
Kian Gie and party dissident Sophan Sophiaan.
Party members have repeatedly said Megawati's arrogance and
aloofness are the party's Achilles heel, and the only thing
Megawati brings to the PDI-P is her status as Sukarno's daughter.
However, the Sukarno trump card is unlikely to work this time
around.
The movement has in its corner Megawati's younger brother
Guruh Soekarnoputri who, albeit reluctantly, has announced his
intention to join the March race for leadership of the PDI-P.
Megawati now has few resources at her disposal. She no longer
holds public office, the way Akbar did prior to his defeat. Until
October last month Akbar was the House speaker.
Her "financier", Laksamana, may have joined her opponents. On
the party's central board, she is surrounded by just a handful of
faithful officials, like secretary-general Soetjipto and deputy
secretary-general Pramono Anung Wibowo and Heri Akhmadi, whose
grassroots appeal is questionable.
Megawati will undoubtedly embark on a make-or-break attempt to
defend her leadership, but given the tremendous challenges she is
facing her days at the PDI-P helm may well be numbered.
M. Taufiqurrahman and Kornelius Purba, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Clearly worried that she could face the same fate as former
Golkar leader Akbar Tandjung, Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI-P) leader Megawati Soekarnoputri warned President
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's government not to try to oust her from
her post at the party's congress next month.
Both Susilo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla -- who replaced
Akbar at Golkar's congress in Bali in December -- responded by
saying the government had no interest in interfering in PDI-P's
congress. However, Megawati still has every reason to worry about
the future of her leadership of the nationalist-leaning party.
In Bali last December, just one day after participants of the
Golkar congress gave a standing ovation to Akbar for his success
in leading Golkar to the position of the country's most powerful
political party -- after the PDI-P held the position for five
years -- Akbar lost his leadership post to Kalla.
Akbar is a very skillful politician and Kalla is far from
being able to match Akbar in this capacity. There are allegations
that Kalla, a business tycoon from Makassar, South Sulawesi, was
only able to oust Akbar because of his money.
By unseating Akbar, Kalla and the government hoped they would
face no significant hurdles in exercising effective governance.
Before this, the government only controlled a minority in the
House of Representatives.
Although Golkar under Akbar never positioned itself as an
opposition to the government, its alliance with the PDI-P, which
was forged to support the reelection bid of Megawati in the
September runoff presidential election, meant it was likely be a
thorn in the government's side. Taken together, PDI-P and Golkar
make up the largest political grouping in the House, which has
the power to hinder government policies.
Now that Akbar has been relegated to the dustbin of history,
Megawati fears the same thing will befall her, especially after
senior members of her party -- whose links to the government, if
any, remain to be seen -- began aggravating for her removal from
the PDI-P leadership post.
It is true that Golkar is different from PDI-P, although both
are nationalist-oriented parties. Different from Golkar, which
was founded by former president Soeharto, Megawati's party is
ideologically inspired by the country's first president, Sukarno,
Megawati's father.
PDI-P depends very much on Megawati and she leads the party
with an iron fist. In the 1999 general election, three years
after Soeharto's fall, her party won the largest number of seats
in the House. Her refusal to form a coalition with other parties
cost her dearly in the 1999 presidential election. She was only
able to land the vice presidential seat, with Abdurrahman Wahid
winning the presidency. She replaced Abdurrahman in 2001
following a prolonged conflict between Abdurrahman and the House.
But Megawati is different from Akbar. The Golkar congress
participants applauded Akbar for his success in bringing the
party close to the "glory" it enjoyed under Soeharto. In the
legislative election in April last year, Megawati's party lost
considerable ground from its showing in 1999, and in the
presidential election Susilo easily defeated her.
Megawati must take the majority of the blame for these
setbacks because people were upset with her performance as
president.
Businessman-cum-politician Arifin Panigoro spearheaded a
movement to reform PDI-P into a modern political party and free
it from Megawati's grip.
The presence of Arifin -- an oil baron -- in the movement
should serve as a warning to Megawati that she will face a strong
contender with "unlimited" resources in the drive to unseat her.
Also joining the movement are top party officials such as Roy
B.B. Janis, former state minister for state enterprises Laksamana
Sukardi, former minister of national development planning Kwik
Kian Gie and party dissident Sophan Sophiaan.
Party members have repeatedly said Megawati's arrogance and
aloofness are the party's Achilles heel, and the only thing
Megawati brings to the PDI-P is her status as Sukarno's daughter.
However, the Sukarno trump card is unlikely to work this time
around.
The movement has in its corner Megawati's younger brother
Guruh Soekarnoputri who, albeit reluctantly, has announced his
intention to join the March race for leadership of the PDI-P.
Megawati now has few resources at her disposal. She no longer
holds public office, the way Akbar did prior to his defeat. Until
October last month Akbar was the House speaker.
Her "financier", Laksamana, may have joined her opponents. On
the party's central board, she is surrounded by just a handful of
faithful officials, like secretary-general Soetjipto and deputy
secretary-general Pramono Anung Wibowo and Heri Akhmadi, whose
grassroots appeal is questionable.
Megawati will undoubtedly embark on a make-or-break attempt to
defend her leadership, but given the tremendous challenges she is
facing her days at the PDI-P helm may well be numbered.