Megawati 'just needs new name' for her PDI
JAKARTA (JP): Megawati Soekarnoputri, the ousted leader of the splintered Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), simply needs to register her camp under a new name to move into contention for next year's general election, Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung said on Monday.
National Police Chief Lt. Gen. Roesmanhadi had said on Sunday he would not issue a permit to Megawati's camp to hold its three- day national congress -- planned to open on Oct. 8 in Bali -- if it insisted on retaining the PDI name.
The government recognizes Megawati's rival, Budi Hardjono, as the PDI chairman.
Megawati's spokesman Subagio Anam said the camp would await Roesmanhadi's formal reply on the permit, which it lodged on Monday.
Concerning the advice on the name change, Subagio said: "It's yet to be decided, but the party will for sure contest the (May) election and the upcoming congress will be part of the party's preparation for that."
However, Subagio was unsure whether Megawati's camp would correspond using PDI letterhead or the titles by which it is now popularly known, PDI-Perjuangan or Megawati's PDI.
A secretariat staff member at Megawati's new headquarters on Jl. Lenteng Agung Raya in South Jakarta told The Jakarta Post on Monday the camp still used the old PDI letterhead, including the address of Jl. Diponegoro 58, Central Jakarta.
The latter office has been vacant since military-backed supporters of Megawati's rival Soerjadi ransacked it on July 27, 1996. The incident led to riots in Jakarta and left at least five dead. More than 20 people are still missing.
Many contended that the Soeharto government engineered the leadership rift within PDI in order to ensure Golkar's dominance and maintain the president's hold on power. Criticism has also been leveled at the current government of President B.J. Habibie because it continues to recognize Megawati's rivals despite her growing popularity.
Akbar reiterated the government recognized the rival camp which elected Budi Hardjono to replace Soerjadi in a congress in Palu late August.
But he added that Megawati could register her camp under a new name, or add words such as perjuangan (struggle), reformasi (reform) or kebangsaan (nationality) to round out its initials.
"And to do that, they don't need the government's recognition, just register (with the home affairs ministry), and it will be a political party."
Under the new political law currently in formulation, there are no difficulties in establishing political parties, he said. "The only problem is that when a political party want to join the elections, it's got to meet requirements."
Akbar was responding to journalists' question about Megawati's recent statement urging the government to recognize her party before the Special Session of the People's Consultative Assembly on Nov. 10.
On Sunday, Roesmanhadi also stated that the police would uphold the "legality" principle regarding the PDI matter.
He said the police would only issue a permit to Megawati's camp to hold its national congress if the party used a new name.
"We uphold legality. If Mega uses the name PDI Perjuangan or just the PDI-P, we'll issue the permit. So, just be smart," he was quoted as saying by Media Indonesia daily on Monday.
Megawati's camp is scheduled to hold its congress at the Grand Bali Beach Sanur from Oct. 8 through Oct. 10, the daily said, adding that 337 hotel rooms had been booked and about 60 ambassadors and new political parties leaders invited to attend. (prb/aan)