PDI-P denies moves to undermine axis force

PDI-P denies moves to undermine axis force

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan) rejected on Friday accusations that it was behind a
plan to methodically undermine the "axis force".

Senior PDI Perjuangan executive Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno said
the accusations were intentionally made by a "third party" in
attempt to damage relations between PDI Perjuangan and the axis
force.

"It's not true. We have good relations with members of the
axis force," said Soetardjo, who is also deputy speaker at the
House of Representatives.

PDI Perjuangan's faction chairman in the House, Sutjipto, also
denied allegations that his party was taking revenge against the
axis force.

The axis force is a loose coalition of Islamic political
parties with the National Mandate Party (PAN), which helped
thwart PDI Perjuangan chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri's bid for
the presidency.

"We're not doing anything against them. They (the axis force)
are just overly audacious," Sutjipto said.

The political feud began surfacing when President Abdurrahman
Wahid announced he had accepted the resignation of United
Development Party (PPP) chairman Hamzah Haz from the Cabinet,
despite later allegations that Hamzah had not submitted a formal
resignation request.

PPP and axis force members have also expressed disappointment
that Abdurrahman chose a non-axis force member to replace Hamzah
as coordinating minister for people's welfare and poverty
eradication.

Several axis force members have alleged that the move was part
of a conspiracy to weaken the axis force.

Without accusing any single party, Assembly Speaker Amien Rais
threatened on Thursday to take action against parties which tried
to undermine the axis force's strength.

PPP deputy chairman Tosari Wijaya also alleged that there was
a "grand conspiracy" to destroy the axis force. He said attempts
by PDI Perjuangan legislators to censure Amien Rais over his
federalism remarks were part of the conspiracy.

Tosari also accused PDI Perjuangan of spreading graft rumors
related to Hamzah Haz and Crescent Star Party (PBB) chairman
Yusril Ihza Mahendra.

The head of the PBB faction chairman in the House, Ahmad
Sumargono, said he did not believe there was a conspiracy by the
PDI Perjuangan board to taint the axis force. However, he did not
deny that individual members might be carrying out such moves on
their own initiative.

"I suspect that it is conducted by several PDI Perjuangan
members," Sumargono said on Friday.

Unwise move

Meanwhile in Bandung, West Java, PAN chairman Amien Rais said
on Friday the axis force would not take drastic action in the
wake of PPP's departure from the Cabinet.

"The world will not end because we lost one seat in the
Cabinet," Amien said after opening a Muhammadiyah Tanwir
leadership meeting here.

Nevertheless, he appeared to be continuing with a bid for the
axis force to be given a seat in government, albeit not a Cabinet
post.

"There are still a lot of state agencies or other institutions
such as the National Logistics Agency (Bulog) or Central Bureau
of Statistics (BPS) that can be filled," said Amien, who is also
the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) speaker.

Amien said that despite various rumors, the axis force was
solid.

"The axis force is not fractured as some people suggest ... on
the contrary, the other (group) is breaking up," he said.

Amien again refused to elaborate on the subject, emphasizing
that the President needed to act more wisely when taking such
decisions.

"Even (former president) Soeharto, who was called
authoritarian, always requested evaluations before replacing his
ministers," Amien said.

In Semarang, Central Java, the PPP provincial chapter's
secretary Masruhan Syamsur said on Friday that his chapter would
fight any attempt to depose party deputy leader Zarkasih Nur from
his post as state minister of cooperatives, small and medium
enterprises.

"We will continue to support Zarkasih and will discuss the
whole issue further at the next party leadership meeting,"
Masruhan said.

"If Zarkasih also quits, then PPP and the axis force would
suffer a double loss. So let's not be too emotional and not call
on him (Zarkasih) to give up the post out of solidarity," he
said.

PPP's central board is slated to hold a two-day leadership
meeting from Sunday and the meeting will ask the President to
clarify rumors that Hamzah was being investigated for graft.

"In the meeting we'll also further elaborate on the PPP role
as an opposition party. It's important to keep the party's unity
and to stop efforts to undermine each other," Masruhan said.
(jun/43/har/edt)