PDI-P cadre withdraws bid for Bali governorship

PDI-P cadre withdraws bid for Bali governorship

I Wayan Juniartha, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali

Anak Agung Ngurah Oka Ratmadi of the Indonesian Democratic Party
of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) said on Monday he would not seek
the governorship of Bali, after failing to win the backing of
party leader President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

"After deep contemplation, and to respect the request made by
Ibu Megawati, I will not pursue my candidacy," he said in an
emotional speech.

Ratmadi made the announcement before dozens of his supporters
in PDI Perjuangan, who gathered at his ancestral home of Puri
Satria in downtown Denpasar.

"I call on all party cadres and supporters to remain calm and
maintain order," he said.

A die-hard party member, Ratmadi, who is currently the regent
of Badung, was nominated for the governorship by the PDI
Perjuangan faction in the Bali legislative council, which
controls 39 of 55 seats.

However, Megawati, in her role as party chairwoman, issued a
letter dated July 21 ordering PDI Perjuangan councillors to back
incumbent Governor Dewa Made Beratha for another five-year term.

The PDI Perjuangan central board has also thrown its support
behind Beratha, whom they want to see pair up with party
councillor Alit Kelakan for the gubernatorial election, scheduled
for Aug. 6.

Ratmadi's sudden withdrawal shocked his supporters, many of
whom shed tears at hearing the announcement.

Councillor Alit Bagiasna, one of the supporters, said he would
respect Ratmadi's decision, which he called a "cadre's expression
of loyalty and obedience" to his party.

However, Bagiasna said: "We believe that in the future the
(PDI Perjuangan) chairperson's prerogative to nominate
gubernatorial candidates should be abolished."

"Now it is our duty to explain this development to the
grassroots supporters. It surely won't be an easy task," he said.

Ratmadi's announcement defused rising political tension caused
by Megawati's letter. Initially, PDI Perjuangan councillors
refused to accept the order and nominated Ratmadi, paired with
influential party councillor Agus Suradnyana.

Angered by the letter from Megawati, hundreds of Ratmadi
supporters staged demonstrations to denounce any interference by
the party's central board in the election.

The protests also put pressure on Bali PDI Perjuangan chairman
IB Wesnawa to acknowledge Ratmadi as the party's sole candidate.

Wesnawa, who is also the speaker of the Bali legislative
council and a childhood friend of the incumbent governor, bowed
to the demonstrators wishes and submitted the names of Ratmadi
and his running mate to the gubernatorial election committee.

Then, following a meeting with Megawati on Friday night in
Jimbaran, numerous PDI Perjuangan councillors seemed to have a
change of heart about the election.

In the brief meeting, Megawati stressed that all party
councillors must follow her order to back the election of
Beratha.

The head of the PDI Perjuangan fraction in the council, Usdek
Maharipa, said it was the duty of all faction members to vote for
Dewa Beratha and Alit Kelakan.

The low-profile Beratha gained popularity with the party's
elite in 1998 when he allowed PDI Perjuangan, then still
considered a dissenting political force, to hold a national
congress in Bali.