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)