PDI-P supports system not individuals

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) will not imitate others expressing support for specific state leaders, but continue to uphold the country's presidential appointment mechanism, a senior party official said on Friday.

"PDI Perjuangan will not cast support for individuals, but for the institution," the party's secretary-general Soetjipto told media on the sidelines of the Advisory Board (MPP) meeting here.

"PDI Perjuangan will support the five-yearly national leadership mechanism," he said, as quoted by Antara.

Soetjipto was responding to questions surrounding the PDI Perjuangan's stance on the possibility of holding a special session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) designed to question President Abdurrahman Wahid's performance.

"As for Gus Dur's remark that we (PDI Perjuangan) have assured that there will be no such special session ... well, up until now the party's executive board has not yet discussed the matter," he said, referring to the President by his popular title.

Soetjipto also stressed that the party -- which won the most votes in the 1999 general election -- will not make any political moves in connection with the special session issues.

"But, if it (the special session) is the consequence of a democratic process, PDI Perjuangan will not withdraw from it," Soetjipto said.

PDI topped the 1999 election with 154 seats in the House, after claiming 33.4 percent of the votes.

President Abdurrahman Wahid of the National Awakening Party (PKB) which came fourth in the general election, however, became the country's leader in a dramatic contest with PDI Perjuangan chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri on Oct. 10, 1999. Megawati was appointed Vice President on Oct. 12, 1999.

In Friday's advisory board meeting, however, Megawati said that even though her party won the highest number of votes at the general election, there were "many shortages and bad records" ranging from disputes at regency/mayoralty-level polling, violent incidents, and allegations of vote buying.

"In several regions, the internal party's motions have caused serious problems for regional stability," Megawati said.

"We regret these. Our party won votes in many regions and even achieved majorities in both the regency and provincial councils, but when it came to filling the key political posts of local administration chiefs or local council speakers ... what happened was the opposite," she continued.

PDI Perjuangan was supposed to "easily win the battle", she said.

"But instead we were shrewdly defeated," Megawati told the meeting.

Megawati also asked the two-day meeting to come up with fresh ideas to revise the party's condition, as well as establishing an accurate outlook for political and social development.

The 28th anniversary of PDI Perjuangan is planned to take place at the Senayan Sports Stadium in Central Jakarta on Sunday, which will be concluded with a political oration by the party's chairwoman. (edt)