PDI-P congress puts Megawati under scrutiny

PDI-P congress puts Megawati under scrutiny

SEMARANG (JP): The congress of the Indonesian Democratic Party
of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) here will serve as a test of
Megawati Soekarnoputri's leadership and her prospects for the
2004 presidential election, party figures said.

A prominent House of Representatives legislator, Aberson Marle
Sihaloho, said Megawati decided to hold the congress ahead of
schedule to determine if her leadership won the support of party
members.

"Megawati has nothing to lose if she is not reelected. But her
reelection will be a starting point and a justification for all
decisions she will take in the face of the next general election
and presidential election," he told The Jakarta Post here on
Sunday.

He said the congress, scheduled to be officially opened by
President Abdurrahman Wahid on Monday, will proceed with its main
agenda of setting right the party's internal affairs, amending
its statutes and electing new executives.

"This congress is also designed to seek a stand on the
district system planned for the next elections and the direct
presidential election," Aberson said.

Chairman of the congress' steering committee V.B. Da Costa
concurred and said that despite the increasing support for
Megawati, the committee would stick to the set agenda to avoid an
outbreak of violence during the congress.

He said the congress should be considered an event for party
supporters to renew their loyalty to Megawati.

Besides official delegations from 314 branches and 27
provincial chapters, hundreds of thousands of party supporters
from across the country have descended on the city.

The city was in festive mood on Sunday when thousands of party
supporters, dressed in the party color of red, took part in a
motorcade on buses, trucks and motorcycles to greet Megawati's
arrival.

Chairman of the congress's organizing committee Mangara
Siahaan hailed the huge mass deployment, saying it was evidence
that PDI Perjuangan belonged to people from all walks of life.

He said the congress should provide the party with momentum to
improve its human resources for the next general election.

Intimidation

Party deputy chairman Dimyati Hartono accused a faction in the
party of using intimidation, terror tactics and political
maneuvering to force congress participants to name Megawati as
the lone candidate for the top post.

He revealed that besides members of the executive board,
delegations from East Java, one of the party's strongholds, and
Central Java intimidated their counterparts from outside of Java
in a move to gain support for Megawati.

"Many delegations have admitted receiving intimidation and
threats of dismissal if they did not vote for Megawati," he said.

An alternative candidate for the party chairmanship, Dimyati
claimed to have garnered support from numerous branches. He said
he hoped the election would run democratically.

But he said he risked losing his party membership for
resisting calls to withdraw his candidacy.

"My obsession is to make PDI Perjuangan a modern party and a
pillar of democracy," he said.

The 25-member delegation from Gorontalo, North Sulawesi, also
claimed to have been intimidated by several representatives from
the East Java provincial chapter in Surabaya on Thursday when
they stopped over in the city.

The delegation leader, who spoke on the condition of
anonymity, said he and his entourage were intimidated to support
Megawati, or else they would face reprisals on their journey
home.

Amien Aryoso, Sabam Sirait and Sukowaluyo denied there was
intimidation and political engineering, saying the media should
verify the facts with all the delegations.

"The use of intimidation and threats cannot be tolerated
because PDI Perjuangan is a democratic party. We will ask for
clarification about it in the congress," Amien said.

Kamidjo, 46, chairman of the delegation from Cilacap, Central
Java, said 50 party cadres from the regency were trained in
supernatural powers to counter groups which wanted to disrupt the
congress and block Megawati from the chairmanship election.

"We want a fair and democratic election. We would accept it if
the congress did not reelect Megawati as long as the process ran
fairly," he said. (har/rms)