PDI-P policy to back Edy, says councilor

PDI-P policy to back Edy, says councilor

JAKARTA (JP): A city councilor of the Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) disclosed on Tuesday that the
party's decision to back the Indonesian Military (TNI)/Police
faction candidate for City Council speaker was based on a
"policy" of the party chairwoman, Megawati Soekarnoputri.

"I got a phone call from Ibu Megawati this morning (Tuesday)
who told me that the decision was her policy," the party faction
chairman, Tarmidi Suhardjo, told reporters at City Hall.

Tarmidi, who is also a party candidate for City Council
speaker, said he could not hide his personal disappointment over
the results which led to the reappointment of Maj. Gen. Edy
Waluyo as City Council speaker.

However, he added, he could fully understand his leader's
decision as part of PDI Perjuangan's strategy to in return obtain
one seat in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

Based on the vote counting results and composition of the
faction's members, the city chapter of PDI Perjuangan, which won
the recent general election, will take two of the five MPR seats
available for Jakarta.

The remaining three seats will be held by the TNI/Police
faction, the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the United
Development Party (PPP).

Unlike other factions, the TNI/Police faction did not join the
poll.

The five figures to represent Jakarta in Senayan will be
elected sometime next week.

The new MPR members will choose the country's president in a
General Assembly slated for November.

Tarmidi said that a few minutes before Monday's plenary
session started, all 30 PDI Perjuangan councilors still agreed to
pick him as City Council speaker.

The one man, one vote election was participated by 84
councilors.

Councilors from PDI Perjuangan changed their mind when the
party's city chapter chairman, Roy B.B. Janis, who attended the
session as a guest, approached the councilors and asked them to
vote for Edy Waluyo, Tarmidi explained.

He said Roy was accompanied by the party's city chapter
secretary, Maringan Pangaribuan, who is also a city councilor, to
carry out the task.

The results were 40 votes for Edy Waluyo, 30 votes for Djafar
Badjeber of PPP, nine votes for Tarmidi and no votes for M.
Suwardi of PAN. Five votes were invalid.

Half of the votes gained by Edy were from PDI Perjuangan
legislators, Tarmidi said.

He said the party's strategy was also aimed at blocking the
candidacy of Djafar, who was from the "axis force" (Poros
Tengah).

"You know that the axis force attempted to push Megawati out
(as a presidential candidate)," Tarmidi said.

Reaction, denial

Besides a strong direct protest from dozens of PDI Perjuangan
supporters on Monday, the party's controversial maneuver also
stunned many politicians, observers and even party supporters.

The party headquarters in Lenteng Agung, South Jakarta, was
reportedly stoned by disappointed supporters on Monday night.

Several of the party's security forces flattened the tires of
Roy's BMW sedan parked at the headquarters, Tarmidi said.

But a deputy chairman of the party, Mochtar Buchori, insisted
that the move was purely Roy's decision and had nothing to do
with Ibu Megawati.

Buchori quoted sources at the city's party chapter as saying
that "it was Roy who instructed the councilors to shift their
vote to Edy".

He added that the party headquarters remained unclear of Roy's
motives.

"During a meeting this morning, Megawati also condemned the
move and she asserted that she knew nothing about it," Buchori
said.

When he was asked to comment, political observer Affan Gafar
said: "Something is fishy here."

"It's impossible for any party to ignore the City Council
speaker," he said.

Affan speculated on the significant role of the "old power" in
Monday's maneuver at Jakarta City Council, referring to the New
Order regime.

"The public and all party supporters will take note of this
case. The implication might be seen in the next five years," he
added.

Researcher Syamsudin Harris from Indonesia's Institute of
Science (LIPI) said the incident indicated a sharp dissension
among members in the party's factions and chapters.

"By casting votes for a military representative, PDI
Perjuangan councilors obstructed the establishment of a civil
society. They allowed the military to take the lead in the
political arena, even though they know that the military is not
democratic," he said.

City councilors from other factions smiled at the PDI
Perjuangan strategy.

Another political observer, Nazaruddin Syamsudin, shared
Harris' view.

"The conflict was based on the dissatisfaction of councilors
over the party candidate who was nominated by the party
executives," he said. (asa/jun/bsr)