PDI Perjuangan faction split over support for Sutiyoso

PDI Perjuangan faction split over support for Sutiyoso

Ahmad Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)
is split over its support for incumbent Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso
in the coming gubernatorial election.

Some councillors defied the party's central board decision on
Monday by rejecting the nomination of Sutiyoso, despite the claim
of the central board secretary-general Soetjipto at the party'
leadership meeting in Bogor on Saturday that an official letter
to support Sutiyoso had been sent to the City Council's (PDI
Perjuangan) faction.

The faction officially declared its decision to back the
central board's stance on Monday.

However, Tarmidi Suhardjo, one of PDI Perjuangan (former)
candidates said in Jakarta on Monday, "We have not received the
letter yet. But I still plan to run for the election."

Tarmidi, the party's city chapter chairman, who is also the
council's deputy chairman said that he would still run for the
gubernatorial election, scheduled for Sept. 17.

Sutiyoso, the former chief of the Jakarta Military Command, is
a controversial candidate for many, especially the relatives of
the victims of the July 27, 1996 incident, when PDI Perjuangan
headquarters on Jl. Diponegoro, Jakarta, was taken over by force
by a rival party (the government-backed PDI led by Suryadi). The
Jakarta military and police backed the unlawful move to take over
the building.

Tarmidi said he was fully aware of what he was doing,
asserting that he was ready to face the consequences. He could be
kicked out of the party for his defiance.

He said he preferred to run for the election than betray the
party's branches that had nominated him, along with the 10 other
candidates. He recalled that the party, through the party's
chapter special meeting last month, did not put Sutiyoso on the
list of the party's nominees.

Another party councillor Dadang Hamdani, who was also
nominated (by PDI Perjuangan) as a candidate in the special
meeting, also vowed to continue his candidacy.

"I will run in the election whatever transpires," Dadang told
reporters.

The third councillor who rejected Sutiyoso's candidacy was
Tarmidi Edi Suwarno. He urged the party's city chapter to meet
again to annul its earlier decision made last month, when the
party agreed to nominated 11 party cadres, excluding Sutiyoso.

"Therefore, there should be a new special meeting to annul the
candidacy of the 11 candidates," said Suwarno, the chairman of
the party's North Jakarta chapter.

However, the party' council faction chairman Agung Imam
Sumanto insisted on Monday that the faction had officially
nominated Sutiyoso as the sole candidate for Jakarta Governor.

"We nominated Sutiyoso as it has been decided by the party's
central board," councillor Agung said on Monday.

He claimed that party chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri had
the right to choose a candidate in the best interests of the
party.

Megawati has reportedly given full support to Sutiyoso, but
personally, she has never spoken a single word on the issue.

Party supporters grouped under the victims of the July 27
tragedy deplored Megawati's support for Sutiyoso, calling her a
traitor.

"The 11 candidates should drop their candidacy as the party
has decided (to nominate Sutiyoso). But if they continue to run
its their personal decision," Agung said.

The next election would be determined by the city's 85
councillors. PDI Perjuangan has 30 seats in the council, the
National Mandate Party 13, United Development Party 12,
Indonesian Military (TNI)/National Police faction nine seats,
Golkar Party eight seats while the remaining seats belong to
several small parties.

So far only PDI Perjuangan's deputy chairman and legislator
Roy B. B. Janis dropped his candidacy after hearing the party's
decision.