PDI-P says Sophan exit no big loss

PDI-P says Sophan exit no big loss

A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Prominent Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan) legislator Sophan Sophiaan has quit from both the
House of Representatives and the People's Consultative Assembly,
but party officials played down the move.

PDI Perjuangan deputy secretary-general Pramono Anung Wibowo
said on Saturday that Sophan's withdrawal from the legislative
bodies was expected, as the noted film star had already tendered
his resignation five months before.

"There will be no efforts to stop him -- the letter of
resignation was sent to the party factions at the House and
Assembly," Pramono told The Jakarta Post.

Party leaders are expected to name Sophan's replacement when
they meet on Tuesday.

Pramono said that Sophan's farewell bid last year failed to
materialize, following a rejection from party chairwoman Megawati
Soekarnoputri.

Sophan's resignation came against the backdrop of a visible
split in PDI Perjuangan over whether to support a House special
committee to investigate the misuse of Rp 40 billion of the State
Logistics Agency (Bulog) fund in 1999 involving then-state
minister/secretary Akbar Tandjung, the current House Speaker.

Sophan, who formally announced his resignation on Friday,
refused to link his move to the dispute within his party.

"If I comment on that, I will spark polemics; I don't want to
incite people's anger." he said.

Accompanied by his wife, actress Widyawati, Sophan began
clearing his belongings out of his legislative office on
Saturday.

Sophan had recently expressed frustration and concern over the
deteriorating political conditions resulting from friction and
what he called a lack of ethics among lawmakers.

"This is my personal decision, and it has nothing to do with
political maneuvering -- I've been thinking about this a lot, and
had long discussions with my family and friends," about resigning
he told reporters.

"I feel that I can no longer function in these conditions, as
everything has become so skewed. The truth has been blurred,
while foibles and filth are taken as truth ... What is actually
right is now wrong -- you know what I'm talking about," Sophan
said.

Meanwhile, another senior member of the party, Agustin Teras
Narang, acknowledged that he was "shocked and moved" upon hearing
of Sophan's resignation.

However, he was optimistic that Sophan's departure would not
adversely affect the party.

"He remains a member of the party, and he merely quit from the
House and Assembly. As a public figure, he can still contribute
to the party," Agustin, who chairs the House Commission I
overseeing legal affairs, told the Post.

When asked who would take Sophan's seat, Agustin declined to
comment, saying only that "we will leave it to the party's
mechanisms."

Political observer J. Kristiadi shared Agustin's view, saying
that Sophan had been alienated within the party.

"Sophan's resignation may not bring about any impact within
the party," said Kristiadi, of the Centre for Strategic and
International Studies (CSIS).

But Kristiadi gave two thumbs up to Sophan for being "a small
ray of light in a big, dark space."

"In mainstream public opinion, politics is viewed as very
dirty, but Sophan has proven himself a symbol of conscience,"
said Kristiadi, after addressing a seminar on governance here.