Megawati urges her party to get active

Megawati urges her party to get active

SEMARANG (JP): The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
(PDI Perjuangan) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, asserted on
Monday the need for the party to play a bigger role in coping
with the nation's present challenges.

"PDI Perjuangan has both a moral and political obligation to
come up with a plan for the implementation of regional autonomy,
for resolving the conflicts in numerous regions and for dealing
with escalating disharmony between the central government and
several local administrations," she said in her opening address
to participants at the party's first congress here.

As the party that won the most votes in the latest general
election in 1999, PDI Perjuangan should stay close to the people
and be part of finding solutions instead of being the source of
conflict, Megawati said.

"We should develop into a modern party without losing the old
spirit that has always enabled us to sympathize with the needs
and aspirations of average citizens."

The message came after her criticism of party executives, whom
she called representatives of old-fashioned behavior and
arrogance.

Megawati, who is also the vice president, reiterated on Monday
that it was imperative for the party to prove that it belonged to
the people of Indonesia.

"This point of view will prevent oligarchic actions being
committed by party functionaries," she said.

She also called on the party to take initiatives in seeking
solutions to various human rights abuses, ineffective law
enforcement and gender issues.

Megawati then slammed money politics practices involving the
party's legislators in the recent elections of governors, mayors
and regents in a number of regions.

"Such cases are a humiliation for the party," she stated.

The party's central executive board has suspended 16
legislators for allegedly taking bribes in the mayoral election
of Medan in North Sumatra.

In his opening speech, President Abdurrahman Wahid expressed
his concern over alleged money politics, for it tarnished the
nation's attempt to uphold democracy.

Abdurrahman said PDI Perjuangan and the party he found, the
National Awakening Party, should fight against these illicit
practices and hope that Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung --
who also attended the ceremony -- and his party would follow
suit.

In her call to the nation, Megawati, daughter of founding
president Sukarno, said Indonesian people are not yet prepared to
support democratic ideas because the current political system
fails to give a party that won the popular vote a chance to
assume power.

"This means we are not yet ready to recognize another party's
victory and accept our defeat in the elections," she said.

Minor incidents marred the opening ceremony when the party's
delegations from Irian Jaya and East Java tried to force their
way into the venue.

The party's cadres were not alone. Amien Rais, the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) speaker and chairman of the National
Mandate Party (PAN), his PAN deputy A.M. Fatwa, Eros Djarot and
his fellow PDI Perjuangan member Jakob Tobing, were barred from
entering the hall because of extra tight security.

Dozens of security guards complained to the congress'
organizers for their poor organization of the event. They claimed
they were not given accommodation, food or transportation.

The ceremony in general proceeded smoothly. A dance
performance by Bagong Kussudiardjo showcased PDI Perjuangan's
history, while an orchestra from North Sulawesi played a number
of songs to entertain the congress participants.

Thousands of party supporters watched the opening ceremony
through the glass wall of the large hall.

Also present were First Lady Sinta Nuriyah, Megawati's husband
Taufik Kiemas and some Cabinet ministers and foreign diplomats.
(rms/har/swa)