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.