PDI-P branches told to uphold unity

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) threatened on Tuesday to suspend its branch offices should they fail to resolve their internal leadership disputes ahead of the 2004 elections.

"The party's central board will take firm action against branch offices still embroiled in internal conflicts," PDI Perjuangan secretary general Sutjipto said while closing a three- day party meeting in Jakarta.

He said leadership conflicts were plaguing 12 of 367 branch offices of the country's largest political party that President Megawati Soekarnoputri currently chairs. Five or six of the disputes were considered serious.

Sutjipto, however, expressed guarded optimism that all the disputes would be settled in time for the 2004 elections. -- JP