More retired servicemen join Megawati's PDI camp
More retired servicemen join Megawati's PDI camp
JAKARTA (JP): As the Megawati Soekarnoputri faction of the
Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) continues to prepare for its
planned party congress in Bali, more retired Armed Forces (ABRI)
officers and national figures have joined and pledged their
support for the ousted leader.
Three hundred new PDI members, including 161 retired officers
of the Navy's elite Marine Corps, three high-ranking retired Army
officers, and dozens of businesspeople and noted figures, were
installed in a ceremony held at the party's headquarters in
Lenteng Agung subdistrict, South Jakarta.
They included freedom fighters for Indonesian independence
in 1945 Lt. Gen. (ret) Pamoe Rahardjo, four retired Marine
brigadier-generals -- Joko Supriadi, Zainal Rasad, Abdul Majid
and R.G.M. Soegiharto -- chairman of the Indonesian Communion of
Churches Eka Darma Putra and Hasyim Wahid of the Nahdlatul Ulama
(NU) Moslem organization.
Also installed on Saturday were lawyer Amin Aryoso,
businessman Meilono Suwondo and Agus Hari Subagio, and former
secretary-general of the Golkar-affiliated MKGR Youths
organization Imam Nusanto.
Present at the ceremony were Roeslan Abdoelgani, a former
government advisor on the Pancasila ideology, former student
activist Julius Usman, film star and PDI official Sophan
Sophiaan. Eka Darma Putra said in the ceremony that PDI was far
from a strange name for him.
"I voted for PDI ever since its establishment in 1973. I only
missed one, the 1997 general election, when I punched for all the
three election contestants -- Golkar, PDI, and the United
Development Party (PPP)," he said, referring to how many people
disenchanted with the available three choices reportedly spoiled
their ballots.
Pamoe Rahardjo said he had long supported Megawati's political
struggle, but stressed that it was only now that he could join
her party. A number of retired generals have said retired
officers and family members of active members should no longer be
tied to the ruling Golkar party.
The chairman of the PDI's Jakarta chapter loyal to Megawati,
Roy B.B. Janis, said PDI should have the courage to nominate its
party chairperson in the presidential election next year. "It's
not because we'll nominate our leader Megawati, but this should
be considered as a breakthrough in the country's political
system."
"It's been more than 30 years that the country has never had
more than one presidential candidate and the then president
Soeharto remain unchallenged in the past six elections," he said.
On the possibility of establishing a new party name to replace
the 25-year old PDI, Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno, deputy chairman of
the splintered PDI leadership said that Megawati would not
replace her party's name at the upcoming Bali congress.
The authorities have said they will grant a permit to the
congress only if the name PDI is not used, as the government only
recognizes the leadership of Budi Hardjono.
Soetardjo said after attending the installment of Sri Sultan
Hamengkubuwono X as the new Yogyakarta governor that the congress
discussions would include the party's strategy to win the general
election scheduled for May next year.
Support for the Bali congress continues to pour in.
In Semarang, Megawati supporters have already hoisted the
party's red banners and flags throughout the city.
The banners, inscribed with "Bless the Bali congress", and
thousands of pictures of Megawati and her father, the late
president Sukarno, have also been seen in the city's streets.
Local leader of Megawati's faction, Ismojo Subroto, said
locals have also provided free transportation for people
intending to attend the congress. Hundreds of supporters departed
for Bali Saturday from Medan, North Sumatra. (44/har/21/byg/imn)