Observer says PDI could be big winner in 1997
Observer says PDI could be big winner in 1997
By Santi W.E. Soekanto
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) celebrates
its' 23rd anniversary today in Ambon, Maluku, as it faces various
hurdles for the 1997 general elections.
An observer believes that chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri,
with her seemingly docile and quiet leadership, may actually lead
her party to win more votes in the elections.
Various factors, particularly the governments' perceived
meddling in PDI's affairs, seem to be working for the party,
according to Aribowo, a lecturer at the Airlangga University's
School of Social and Political Sciences in Surabaya.
"There's a possibility that PDI may even replace the United
Development Party as the second runner," Aribowo said.
Amir Santoso of the University of Indonesia in Depok, West
Java, however, had only criticism for Megawati's leadership. The
eldest daughter of the late first president Sukarno, was
"stubborn" and "rigid" in her dealing with the government, he
said.
"She's not a capable leader," he said. "And her stubbornness
is encouraged by people around her who are more emotional than
rational."
Unless Megawati changes her ways and deals with the numerous
internal conflicts more effectively, the party may suffer in the
1997 elections, he said.
"The public is getting bored with all those conflicts in the
PDI," Amir said.
PDI was born in 1973 out of a merger of five former
nationalist and Christian political parties -- the Indonesian
Nationalist Party (PNI), the Murba Party, the Independence
Vanguard Party (IPKI), the Indonesian Catholic Party and the
Christian Party.
Among the most urgent tasks it is facing now is finding
solutions to protracted internal conflicts, especially in regards
with the rival leadership in the East Java chapter.
Another, no-less difficult problem to handle is what some
analysts described as the government's meddling in its affairs,
to check its growth so that it won't grow bigger than the ruling
Golkar.
An example of the latest problem is the series of bans imposed
on chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri and the other party
executives when they tried to hold meetings with supporters in
many regions.
The rumors about some party leaders' past communist links and
the establishment of a rival executive board led by Jusuf Merukh
were other examples of the problems PDI has dealt with in the
past few years.
In the face of such adversity, Megawati reacted in the laid-
back style which seems to be characteristically hers. "I would
never engage in polemics with the government," she said, on one
of the rare occasions when she was willing to speak to reporters.
"I still show the government respect."
It's her quiet, low-profile leadership that has lately been
questioned by some people, especially in regard whether it will
be effective enough to help the party face the 1997 competition.
Aribowo pointed out that Indonesia is a country of
authoritarian bureaucracy. The state has been acting also as
actor of the political game, mobilizing both private and state
institutions to produce a "hegemonic ideology".
In this situation, the existing three political
parties--Golkar, the Moslem-based PPP and the nationalist
PDI--become subordinates of the state, he said.
For the past several years, however, PDI has been struggling
to put distance between itself and the state and trying to assert
its' independence, he said.
This chimes with the views of some layers of society who have
become increasingly aware of the "gaps between the ideals and the
reality" in social political life.
"Frustrated people tend to become more critical, withdraw
their support from the power holders, and seek alternatives," he
said. "PDI promises that kind of alternative in a way that PPP
hasn't been able to".
Megawati's respectful, calm and seemingly docile style has
made for effective leadership, after all, he said.
After criticizing Megawati's leadership, Amir reminded her to
resolve party's internal conflicts as soon as possible, before
they grow out of control and ruin the party's chances in the
general elections.
"Those prolonged conflicts only betray the immaturity of PDI
in handling its' affairs," he said. "And Megawati should be more
flexible, broaden her horizons, in dealing with those conflicts."
(swe)