Megawati vows to hold congress, contest election

Megawati vows to hold congress, contest election

BANDUNG (JP): Undaunted by the government's continued
recognition of a rival camp, Megawati Soekarnoputri of the
splintered Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) vowed on Tuesday she
will lead her supporters at the general election next year.

The popular ousted leader told a gathering of thousands of
supporters here she would hold her camp's congress in October --
rather than December as previously scheduled -- to elect a new
leadership.

Megawati did not elaborate about the congress, which is
expected to be held either in Yogyakarta or Bali. She only said
that while she deliberately did not vote in the 1997 general
election organized by former president Soeharto's regime, she
would use her right to vote next year.

"Whether or not I would still be PDI leader at the time, is
not an issue. Leave the question of the party leadership to the
congress," she said.

She threatened to stage protests if anyone attempted to
disrupt her plan to hold the congress. "Even the new parties can
hold congresses without any disturbances. So why can't PDI, which
clearly enjoys the support of many people, hold its congress?"
she said.

She then called on her supporters to consolidate and prepare
for the general election, planned for either May or June next
year. She called on them not to be swayed by anybody who tried to
buy them off, now that it was evident her supporters represented
a real political force.

"This is true. The only thing that would weaken PDI would be
if its cadres were tempted by money and positions. There are
people who have tried to lure PDI cadres in districts, offer them
millions of rupiah (in exchange for their support). Don't be
tempted," she said.

Megawati, in Bandung to open a branch congress, again
attracted the strong support she enjoyed in other parts of the
country. Thousands flocked to the meeting site and traffic became
very congested, especially after her supporters held a motorcade
after the gathering.

She also insisted that, despite mounting calls from various
quarters, she would not make up with her rival, Soerjadi, who
ousted her in a June 1996 congress in Medan, North Sumatra.

"They say I am stubborn. I am not, I am a person of principle
and I adhere to party statutes," she said, to hysterical applause
from her supporters.

She also said Soerjadi's maneuver in holding a government-
recognized congress last week in Palu, Central Sulawesi -- which
elected Budi Hardjono as the new party chairman -- was none of
her camp's business. "So don't ask me about the result of (the
congress in) Palu. That is none of the PDI's business," she
asserted.

Acknowledging that the government appeared to be confused as
to how to handle the PDI question and was unable to recognize her
camp as the legitimate PDI, Megawati said: "They (government
officials) are still trying to save face even after their
maneuvers (in splitting the party) have been exposed," she said.

"We demand that the government take a clear stance on the
matter," she said. "If this is not enough, then maybe PDI should
show its force. If all of its 30 million cadres around the
country march, how long do you think the line would be?

"So, will you be willing to walk in Indian file if I ask you
to?" she queried, to which her supporters shouted, "We will!"
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