PDI-P reelects, Megawati unanimously
M. Taufiqurrahman and Dwi Atmanta, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) leader Megawati Soekarnoputri was unanimously reelected for another five-year term on Thursday, two days before the party's national congress was scheduled to close in Bali.
She clinched reelection after a plenary session agreed on new statutes stipulating that a party member could be nominated for the top post if she or he had the support of 25 percent of the delegates, and would automatically be declared the PDI-P leader if she or he secured the support of 75 percent of the delegates.
Earlier in the congress, the majority of delegates, comprising the heads of provincial and regency PDI-P chapters, accepted Megawati's accountability report and nominated her as the lone candidate for the leadership post.
With her unanimous victory, Megawati now has a free hand to pick PDI-P's new central board, expected to consist of no more than 33 people.
Megawati's victory was greeted by a chorus of approval from the delegates after they endorsed the new statutes during the plenary session, chaired by Frans Lemburaya.
"Those against Megawati's leadership, get out of the room," one of the congress participants shouted after Frans banged the gavel, making official Megawati's reelection.
The congress was scheduled to conclude on Saturday, but with discussions in the commission meetings completed on Thursday, some congress participants began to pack their bags.
Megawati, who was first elected in 1993 to lead the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), will lead the PDI-P at least through 2009. She was reelected after being declared fit to run for a sixth-consecutive term based on the new statutes, which say that candidates for the top post must have been party members for the past five years and have never breached any party regulations.
Less than an hour after her reelection, Megawati stepped outside the congress venue at the Grand Bali Beach Hotel to greet supporters who had maintained a vigil in front of the hotel for the past four days.
In keeping with her usual reticence, Megawati did not address her supporters.
The victory was seen as a foregone conclusion, despite attempts by hundreds of party members to form a breakaway congress to protest what they called violations of party statutes.
Pundits predicted Megawati would retain her position unchallenged, simply because there were no alternative leaders within the party.
Insiders said Megawati was initially reluctant to lead the PDI-P for another term, but her inner circle persuaded her to join the race.
A reform-minded group within the PDI-P opposed Megawati's reelection, saying her leadership was responsible for the party's losses in the 2004 legislative and presidential elections.
The reform group convened outside the Grand Bali Beach Hotel and planned to form a splinter central board. However, they ruled out the possibility of setting up a new party. The group issued a statement saying the congress "was illegal".
Commenting on Megawati's reelection, a member of the reform group, Sukowaluyo Mintohardjo, said the outcome was no surprise. "I am not surprised to hear the result. But we stand by our claim that the congress is illegal and therefore the reelection of Megawati is also illegal."
The reform drive in the party fizzled out as it became clear they would be unable to push through any of their demands. After a brief meeting on Wednesday, the group issued a resolution to set up a 29-member team to form a new national party leadership. The group is also contesting the legitimacy of the congress in the courts.