Megawati urged to cut back party role

Megawati urged to cut back party role

Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Trapped by conflicting interests, President Megawati
Soekarnoputri is facing mounting pressure from her senior
advisors to abandon her daily tasks with the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and instead focus
on her more important job of running the country.

The Central Advisory Council of PDI Perjuangan renewed its
pressure on Saturday, saying that it would be better for Megawati
to appoint a credible executive to perform her duties so that she
can avoid an internal rift within the party.

"We have delivered a letter to Megawati recommending that she
appoint a new executive to do her daily tasks to solve problems
that have plagued the party," Roeslan Abdulgani, chairman of the
advisory council, told reporters.

There have public demands for state officials to abandon their
party jobs. Apart from Megawati, Vice President Hamzah Haz, House
of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung, People's Consultative
Assembly Speaker Amien Rais, Minister of Defense Matori Abdul
Djalil and Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza
Mahendra hold the top posts in their respective parties.

Roeslan, a senior figure in PDI Perjuangan and a loyal
follower of founding president Sukarno, warned that the internal
friction in PDI Perjuangan could worsen should Megawati, in her
capacity as party chairwoman, fail to take action to stop the
party's internal dispute.

He conceded that some manipulation has taken place in the
party which has been beyond Megawati's control since her
appointment to the presidency last July.

He added that it would set a good sample for other parties if
Megawati listened to the advice of her advisors.

The internal rift in PDI Perjuangan bubbled to the surface
following the resignation of Sophan Sophiaan from both the House
of Representatives and the People's Consultative Assembly.

Dimyati Hartono, another PDI Perjuangan legislator and another
loyal Sukarnoist, likewise announced his plan to quit the party
and to establish a new political party.

Former secretary general Alex Litaay has also expressed his
concern of a split within the party, following his removal from
the People's Consultative Assembly Ad Hoc Commission II which
prepares decrees outside the state policy guidelines.

The friction continued to mount on Thursday when Haryanto
Taslam, another PDI Perjuangan legislator, reported to the City
Police that PDI Perjuangan Secretary General Sutjipto was
connected with the dismissal of Basuki as chairman of the party's
Surabaya branch.

According to Taslam, Sutjipto allegedly issued a fake document
to gain approval from the party's executive board for the
dismissal of M. Basuki, who was considered a follower of PDI
Perjuangan rival group PDI under Soerjadi.

Sutjipto was also accused of abusing his power in the
dismissal of party functionaries in other provinces, including
North and South Sumatra and Bali.

"Sutjipto should quit his job for the sake of the party,"
Roeslan, a former foreign minister, said when asked about
Sutjipto's alleged involvement in the case.

Another senior party member Marle Aberson Sihaloho said that
the internal friction has a lot to do with absence of numerous
factions in the party, including pro-Sukarno groups, pro-military
cliques, sectarian groups, and opportunists from other political
parties.

"All these factions, with their own conflicting ideologies and
interests, clash with one another. All this has damaged the
party's political platform, and heightened disappointment among
party supporters," he said.

Frans Seda, a member of the advisory board, warned that the
internal friction would adversely affect its preparations for the
2004 general election.

"A good leeway to solve the internal rift immediately is for
Megawati to listen to the advisory board's recommendations," he
said.

Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno said that the internal friction was a
strong slap in the face for both Megawati and the party because
it has threatened the party's solidity, and affected the
government at the same time.

But he declined to comment on what actions Megawati should do
to salvage both the party and his government.

Responding to the sharp criticism, Megawati has said recently
that she was facing difficulties in improving her government's
performance because her cabinet resembled a trash dump.