Megawati urged to meet with E. Java branches
Megawati urged to meet with E. Java branches
JAKARTA (JP): East Java Governor Basofi Soedirman urged yesterday Megawati Soekarnoputri, the chairperson of the Indonesian Democratic Party, to meet with leaders of the party's branches in his province to resolve their conflict once and for all.
Basofi came to Jakarta yesterday to explain to Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. his administration's policy regarding the party's conflict in the province.
The governor has come under fire for his refusal to allow Megawati to visit Surabaya to install Sutjipto as the chairman of the East Java chapter. Following the criticisms, Yogie said last week he would summon Basofi to explain the situation.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Basofi said Megawati should meet with the leaders of the party's branches in East Java to resolve their differences.
"I'm encouraging her to hold the meeting anytime, anywhere. I am sure the party's branches are ready. It is an internal problem which they must solve themselves," he said.
The East Java chapter of the party has been split into two camps. One camp, led by Sutjipto, supports Megawati and the other camp, led by Latief Pudjosakti, rejects her leadership.
Latief was the chairman of the chapter, but a congress to elect the new leader late last year ended inconclusively. Latief claimed he had won the election but Megawati refused to accept the election and appointed Sutjipto instead. However, she has not been able to install Sutjipto because the East Java provincial government refused to issue a permit for the gathering. The last time she tried was on Monday, and she was rejected again.
Because of this incident, the East Java government has been accused of siding with Latief in the conflict, a claim Basofi firmly rejected yesterday, stressing that his administration recognizes neither camp in the conflict.
But Basofi said he would not allow the installation of Sutjipto by Megawati to take place because he was not elected in accordance to the party's rules.
The governor explained to reporters the chronology of the party's East Java congress, which he called the "root of the problem".
He said Sutjipto won the election first time round but there appeared to be vote rigging because there were four ballots too many.
So the election was annulled and the congress agreed that the chairman should be elected by a committee.
"Five of the eight committee members chose Latief but the party's central board took over the congress because it considered the committee meeting to be progressing arduously. The board then issued a decree and stated Sutjipto as chairman," Basofi said.
Basofi said Latief also had the support of 32 of the 37 branches in East Java.
"Both feel that they are elected constitutionally," he said.
Basofi said the government would not take the matter into its hands because "it will only be seen as a meddling of internal affairs". (pwn)