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.