Ministers stay away from PCPP initial congress

Ministers stay away from PCPP initial congress

YOGYAKARTA (JP): The Association of Intellectuals for
Pancasila Development (PCPP) opened its inaugural congress here
yesterday without the presence of a single cabinet minister.

The opening ceremony proved anticlimactic due to the extensive
media coverage drawn by the group since the announcement of its
establishment last July with ringing endorsements from a number
of senior government officials.

Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S., who was scheduled to
give the keynote address to open the congress, failed to turn up.
Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono and Minister of Defense and
Security Gen. (ret.) Edi Sudradjat also failed to appear,
although the organizers remained hopeful until the last minute,
delaying the opening to wait for their arrival.

Yogyakarta Governor Paku Alam VIII, who was asked to open the
congress instead of Yogie at the last minute, also stayed away,
citing poor health, Antara reported.

The task of opening the congress was left to Moehono, one of
the three men who founded the association.

The few VIPs present included Gen. (ret.) Soerono, a former
cabinet minister who has been named chairman of PCPP's advisory
board, businessman Soekamdani Sahid Gitosardjono, and senior East
Timorese statesman Lopez da Cruz.

When its establishment was announced to the public three
months ago, PCPP was widely seen as providing an alternative
forum for the scholars who have stayed out of the other
associations of intellectuals, whose memberships are based on
religion.

Several top cabinet ministers, including most notably Edi
Sudradjat, Sarwono Kusumaatmadja and Siswono Yudohusodo, were
among those who hailed the organization.

Some political analysts even viewed PCPP as having the
potential to counter the growing influence of the Association of
Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals (ICMI), which is headed by State
Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie.

Both Sarwono and Siswono, despite endorsing the PCPP, declined
to chair the new organization when they were approached by the
founders who were seeking to give PCPP a stronger national
stature.

Founded by staff lecturers of the University of Jenderal
Sudirman in Purwokerto, Central Java, the PCPP has enlisted a
large number of members and supporters.

A total of 514 delegates representing all 27 provinces are
attending the congress which ends today.

The delegates are scheduled to elect a chairman before the
congress concludes today. Given the refusal of cabinet ministers
to chair the organization, the congress appears likely to elect
one of the founders, Moehono, or Rubiyanto Misman.

Rubiyanto yesterday put on a brave face after learning that
the cabinet ministers invited to the congress decided to stay
away, saying that their absence would in no way affect the
proceedings.

"The PCPP congress will continue with drafting its programs
and appoint the executive board," he said. (mun/har/emb)