Megawati told to be patient and tactical

JAKARTA (JP): Political observers said yesterday Megawati Soekarnoputri, having no chance of retaining her Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) top slot, should make peace with her ouster Soerjadi.

They argued that Megawati and Soerjadi should call a truce, for at least a year, and work together to improve PDI's likely showing in this year's general election.

The latest advice for the arch rivals came from political scholars Arbi Sanit and Yahya Muhaimin and former home affairs minister Rudini.

They agreed the key to possible reconciliation rested with Megawati, who was toppled by Soerjadi in a government-sanctioned rebel congress in Medan last year.

"It will be very difficult for Megawati to regain the party leadership given the present political situation as she is no longer recognized by the government," Arbi of the University of Indonesia's School of Political Science told Vhe Jakarta Post.

He suggested that Megawati, the eldest daughter of first president Sukarno, remained patient and tactical in her efforts to regain the PDI top post.

"Megawati should not waste her charisma and popularity. She should compromise with Soerjadi and try to snatch the party leadership when the time is ripe," he said.

Megawati, who was elected by popular vote at the party's extraordinary congress in Surabaya, in 1993, has repeatedly claimed she is still the party's legitimate leader on the grounds that the Medan congress failed to represent the actual aspirations of the majority of PDI members.

The leadership conflict has been widely seen as seriously threatening the minority party's performance in the May election as Soerjadi has become unpopular.

Arbi predicted there would be some changes in the political climate, especially after the 1998 presidential election.

"It is possible the government and the military will have a different political format after 1998," he said.

The PDI is scheduled to elect its new leader after the 1998 presidential election, when Soerjadi's term of office comes to an end.

In order to slowly regain support from the government and the Armed Forces, Arbi suggested Megawati refrain from conducting activities which could "anger" the government.

At present, Megawati's ardent refusal to reconcile with Soerjadi is seen by the government and her critics as the source of all conflict within the party.

Thousands of Megawati's supporters in Jakarta and several provinces have demonstrated their loyalty to her and their disgust of Soerjadi's leadership.

Soerjadi has canceled a number of trips in Java for security reasons.

Arbi suggested Megawati supporters stop testing the authorities' patience with their demonstrations of support for her.

"I don't mean to say her supporters must stop demonstrating their rejection of Soerjadi. They should remember that their radical actions may ruin Megawati's good name in the eyes of the government," he said.

He also suggested Megawati should not call on her loyalists to boycott the general election to demonstrate their frustration.

"Otherwise the government will treat Megawati as its enemy," he said.

The PDI was established on Jan. 10, 1973. It is a merger of five former Nationalist and tiny Christian political parties -- the Indonesian Nationalist Party, the Murba Party, the Independence Vanguard Party, the Indonesian Catholic Party and the Christian Party.

The merger has turned out to be fragile. Since its formation, the PDI has been riddled with bickering over leadership.

Meanwhile, Rudini said it would be difficult for Megawati to regain her chairmanship now as the government has lent its support to Soerjadi.

"Megawati should talk over the problem with Soerjadi as it is the only way to settle the party's internal dispute," Rudini said on a separate occasion.

Speaking after a seminar held by the Association of Indonesian Moslem Students, he said the internal dispute could be settled through reconciliation.

Yahya Muhaimin told the Post yesterday it would be impossible for Megawati to regain legitimate party leadership without government recognition.

He suggested Megawati dialog with Soerjadi to strengthen the PDI's position for next year's general election.

"Megawati should understand politics requires willingness to accommodate the aspirations of all elements in a society," he said. (imn)