PDI Perjuangan to keep posts vacant

PDI Perjuangan to keep posts vacant

BENGKULU, Bengkulu: The Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) has no plans to fill the vacant posts
in its central board until after the legislative round of
elections in April next year, an executive said.

PDI Perjuangan deputy chairman Mangara Siahaan said on Friday
that he feared the recruitment of new board members would hamper
the party's preparations for the election.

"There had been a plan to fill the vacant spots in our latest
leadership meeting, but after studying it we thought it was not a
crucial issue," Mangara said.

The party's current central board comprises 13 executives,
including chairwoman Megawati, one Cabinet minister and two
ailing party members. They oversee 30 provincial chapters and 308
regency/municipal branches across the country.

Mangara said some of the executives had died, abandoned the
party or were inactive.

"We admit we are facing a real human resources vacuum. It will
not be solved by appointing new executives from the chapters and
branches," Mangara said.

The party has set a target of at least equaling its
performance in the 1999 election, when it won 34 percent of the
vote. -- Antara