PDI complains of official pressure

JAKARTA (JP): The Central Executive Board of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) said party members in the provinces are under pressure from local government officials to attend an extraordinary congress organized by opponents of chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri.

PDI's Secretary-General Alexander Litaay told reporters on Saturday that he raised the issue during a meeting with Suyoto N.K., the director general of sociopolitical affairs at the Ministry of Home Affairs last Thursday, Antara reported.

He said that officials of the ministry's offices in the regions have been putting pressure on PDI chapter and branch leaders to support the congress planned for next month.

The congress is being organized by opponents of Megawati with the intention of electing a new party leader to replace her.

Among PDI figures involved in the upcoming congress are Harsoko Sudiro, Yusuf Merukh and Edwin Henawan Sukowati. So far, they have not decided on the venue or the date. Some said May is likely, and that it will probably be held in Jakarta.

Litaay said the regional administrators' behavior was not consistent with the ministry's policy which recognizes Megawati as the legally elected leader of the party.

He said he had asked Suyoto to stop these officials from intimidating PDI executives. Suyoto promised to look into the complaint, he added.

Litaay said he also discussed possible intervention by the central government in the current conflict in PDI's East Java chapter. (emb)