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)