Megawati's PDI sets goal for next year's election

Megawati's PDI sets goal for next year's election

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) faction
loyal to ousted leader Megawati Soekarnoputri will contest the
general election next year under their old banner rather than
establish a new party, her supporters said yesterday.

Secretary-general Alexander Litaay warned the government of
"consequences" if it only recognized the faction led by
Megawati's rival, Soerjadi. He did not elaborate, but recalled
June 1996, when the government supported a breakaway congress
which toppled Megawati and elected Soerjadi leader.

The government would irrevocably lose the people's trust if it
chose to side with Soerjadi, Litaay told a media conference.

Another loyalist, Roy B.B. Janis, said he was confident
Megawati would triumph in the elections if she was allowed to
reach out to rural areas.

"I can say we have 40 to 50 million members and supporters
nationwide," he said.

The government has decided to hold a general election between
May and June next year.

Roy also said former Armed Forces (ABRI) commander Gen. (ret)
Feisal Tanjung and former ABRI chief of sociopolitical affairs
Lt. Gen. Syarwan Hamid must be held responsible for initiating
the congress and for the subsequent takeover of the party's
headquarters from Megawati supporters in July of the same year.

"Soerjadi himself has said Feisal Tanjung and Syarwan Hamid
were involved in the takeover of the party's headquarters in July
1996. They (Soerjadi, Feisal and Syarwan) and Soerjadi's
secretary-general Buttu R. Hutapea must be held responsible for
the takeover," he said.

Feisal, now Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and
Security, said earlier this week that Buttu lead the takeover of
the party headquarters.

Another Megawati loyalist, Jacob Nuwa Wea, said he would call
on the police to follow up on Feisal's accusation.

Feisal yesterday declined to respond to allegations that the
government engineered the PDI's internal conflict.

"You must have all by now realized what the political
situation was like under Pak Harto's leadership," he told
reporters before a limited cabinet meeting on political affairs
and security at the Bina Graha presidential office yesterday.

Separately, Syarwan said he would be ready if Megawati's
faction took legal action against him for his alleged involvement
in the takeover. The incident sparked off rioting in which five
people were killed and many more went missing.

Syarwan, who is now Minister of Home Affairs, defended the
government's involvement in the internal affairs of political
parties, and said it was common practice.

"It is normal. We provide financial assistance to any party
holding its congress," he said.

However, he rejected the suggestion that the government must
bear responsibility for the PDI's internal dispute.

"How far can the government be held responsible for the PDI's
internal affairs?" he asked.

He called on PDI members to await the outcome of ongoing legal
proceedings.

"If the court decides that Megawati is the legitimate leader,
we (the government) will comply with the ruling. We'll do the
same if the court decides otherwise," he said. (imn/prb)