PDI Perjuangan excludes critics from candidate selection

PDI Perjuangan excludes critics from candidate selection

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) has
excluded outspoken party members from its list of legislative
candidates for the 2004 elections.

Staunch critics of the party such as Meilono Suwondo, Arifin
Panigoro and Haryanto Taslam, all current members of the House of
Representative, have been left off the list, which will be signed
by chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri on Dec. 7 before being
submitted to the General Elections Commission.

"We did not scrap them, but, in the case of Arifin and
Meilono, they declined renomination," the party's deputy
chairman, Roy B.B. Janis, said on Friday.

Speaking after a party meeting to review the list of
candidates, Roy said the central executive board of the party had
the authority to list or remove from the list any member.

"We will only exercise our prerogative to add candidates, but
not to drop them as we have to respect the aspirations of our
voters," Roy added.

He said the party's central board exercised it prerogative in
renominating senior party member J.E. Sahetapy, despite an
absence of public support.

Arifin, Meilono, and Haryanto are known for their opposition
to party chairwoman Megawati, who is also the President.

Haryanto was a staunch supporter of Megawati when she ran
afoul of president Soeharto during the New Order era. Haryanto
was allegedly abducted by the military for his criticism of the
dictator.

Meilono and Haryanto have recently expressed their
disappointment with Megawati's performance as President. They
consider her to have betrayed the reform movement by failing to
take tough measures against corruption.

Arifin, who is a deputy chairman of the party, has often
skipped the party's weekly meetings over the past seven months
and has refused to meet with Megawati.

There have been suggestions by party leaders to dismiss the
three or at least to reprimand them for their continuing
defiance.

Megawati, in her opening speech during the party's recent
national meeting, slammed the acts of defiance and threatened to
dismiss any insubordinate party members.

"I know that these men, who seem to be very outspoken in the
newspapers and claim to defend the people's aspirations, have
failed to win the support of their constituents," Megawati said
in the speech.

Cracks within the party have deepened since Megawati assumed
the presidency in July 2001, with many critics considering her to
have made too many political compromises to maintain her
presidency.

Noted PDI Perjuangan members such as Sophan Sophiaan and
Indira Damayanti Soegondo resigned from the House in an
expression of their disappointment with Megawati's leadership.

Senior party members Dimyati Hartono and Eros Djarot quit the
party and established a new political party.

On Friday, PDI Perjuangan's deputy secretary-general, Pramono
Anung Wibowo, defended the inclusion of Megawati's brother Guruh
Soekarnoputra and husband Taufik Kiemas on the list of
legislative candidates, despite their poor attendance at the
House in their current term as legislators.

"They enjoy the support of constituents and they were
nominated by more than one province. I don't think there is
anything wrong with their presence in the House," Pramono said.

Megawati also decided to delay the finalization of the list,
which was scheduled to completed on Friday, until Dec. 7 to
correct and organize the names.

"There are many people who were nominated by more than one
province, so we have to reorganize the list," Pramono said.

The final list will include 660 names, he said.