PDI conflict continues

SURABAYA: Chairman of the East Java chapter of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) Soetjipto said it was up to the party's central board to decide whether or not the party will hold an extra-ordinary regional congress to settle the conflict within the chapter.

Soetjipto said Thursday that the central board must deal with the internal dispute within the East Java chapter, which involved another group of PDI members under the leadership of Latief Pudjosakti, Antara reported.

Latief, backed by some members of the PDI central board, was installed as the chapter chairman recently by Gerry Mbatemoy, an executive board member from Jakarta. The government has refused to recognize the installation and has given the same treatment to Soetjipto.

PDI leader Megawati Soekarnoputri has warned Latief twice for his defiance and thrown her support behind Soetjipto. (sim)