PDI-P dismisses members over gubernatorial election

PDI-P dismisses members over gubernatorial election

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Oyos Saroso, The Jakarta Post,
Jakarta/Bandarlampung

In another show of deep cracks within the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), five functionaries in Lampung
have been dismissed from their posts for defying directives
regarding the recent gubernatorial election.

PDI Perjuangan deputy chairman Roy B.B. Janis announced the
decision on Tuesday, saying that the disciplinary move would not
deprive the five party officials of their membership in the
party.

"We have decided to discharge them from their official
positions in the party, but not dismiss them as party members,"
Roy told a media conference that followed the party's weekly
meeting, presided over by chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Lampung is one of the party's influential bases, where the
party won 28 of the 75 seats on offer in the 1999 general
election.

In a decree signed by Megawati and secretary-general Soetjipto
on Dec. 28, 2002, the party stripped Abbas Hadisunyoto, Prabawa,
Firmansyah, Ansory Yunus and Alzier Dianis Thabranie of their
respective posts as a member of the party's faction in the
provincial legislature, faction secretary, chairman of the
faction, chairman of the party's provincial chapter and chairman
of the party's South Lampung branch.

Based on the proposed law on composition and structure of the
People's Consultative Assembly, Regional Representative Assembly,
House of Representatives and regional legislatures, a party has
the authority to remove its representatives from those
institutions.

This is the second time that the party has handed out heavy
punishment to disloyal members since the dismissal of Tarmidi
Soehardjo as the chairman of the party's Jakarta chapter for
challenging Megawati's choice of incumbent Sutiyoso as the
candidate for the gubernatorial post in the capital last
September.

Megawati, who is also the President, had ordered that all
Lampung provincial legislative councillors representing the party
support the election of then incumbent Oemarsono and Samsuari
Ryacudu, a brother of Army Chief of Staff Ryamizard Ryacudu, as
governor and deputy governor, respectively.

Like Sutiyoso, Oemarsono also has a military background.

Abbas, who is the Lampung legislature speaker, and his company
nominated Alzier and Ansory for the gubernatorial and deputy
gubernatorial posts, ignoring Megawati's stern warning. The last
minute candidates won the election, beating the pre-race
favorites and PDI Perjuangan's official nominees, Oemarsono and
Samsuari 39-33, in the run-off on Dec. 30.

The unexpected victory angered Megawati during the party's
meeting on Tuesday, a source told The Jakarta Post.

"She lashed out at the Lampung councillors who had rejected
her candidates, but could not provide better choices," the source
said.

Also speaking at the media conference, Soetjipto said the
party would ask the government to annul the results of the
gubernatorial election in Lampung.

"The elected governor does not represent the party's faction,"
Soetjipto said.

The gubernatorial election has sparked a controversy as
provincial legislature speaker Abbas failed to read out a
telegram from Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno, who
requested a delay of the process, pending clarification from the
legislature that Alzair was fit and proper to run for the
governorship.

Alzair, a businessman who chairs the provincial chamber of
commerce, has reportedly been involved in embezzling hundreds of
tons of fertilizer, which cost state fertilizer producer PT Pupuk
Sriwijaya Rp 10 billion. Admitting that he was in debt with the
company, Alzair said the case was not a crime as the police had
not investigated it.

Following a rally last week to protest Alzair's eligibility
and alleged involvement in money politics in the gubernatorial
election, deputy provincial police Sr. Comr. Yusuf Supriadi
promised to investigate the allegations as soon as possible.

The public has three days to verify the elected governor's
track record.

Alzair failed to win the race for the post of Lampung regent
in 2000 after a newspaper reported his alleged involvement in car
smuggling.