PDI protesters want Megawati to quit post

PDI protesters want Megawati to quit post

JAKARTA (JP): A controversial activist of the Indonesian
Democratic Party (PDI), who was sacked recently for
insubordination, retaliated in kind yesterday by demanding the
party chairperson's dismissal.

Latif Pujosakti, the self-styled chairman of the East Java
chapter of the party, brought over 100 supporters to PDI
headquarter in protest over his dismissal and demand that
Megawati Soekarnoputri step down.

"If she can't lead the party, she should resign," the
protesters said in a statement signed by Latif and his secretary,
Trimono Wahyusutomo.

"We reject and repudiate the dismissal of Latif Pujosakti and
Gerry Mbatemoy because it violates the party's statute," one of
the protesters shouted.

"If the central executive board continues with its violations,
behaves dictatorially...and leads the party into actions which
may threaten the existence of Pancasila (state ideology) and
national unity, we will file a vote of no confidence and will no
longer recognize Megawati's leadership," the protester said.

The protesters also unfurled banners. Some of them read "From
this moment on, we no longer recognize Megawati's dictatorial
leadership", and "Megawati, don't tarnish PDI's struggle with
communist ideology".

They were referring to Djajang Kurniadi, a newly elected
chairman of the West Java chapter, who was alleged to have some
involvement with the aborted coup attempt by the now outlawed
Indonesian Communist Party. Djajang denied the accusation.

The protesters also charged that Megawati has put the party in
a confrontational stance with the government and other powers of
the New Order by issuing "confrontational statements".

Some of the PDI leaders under Megawati have even threatened to
boycott the 1997 general elections, (an act) which clearly
threatens national stability, they said.

They also said that the executive board has tried to get out
of the existing political system.

Mangara Siahaan of the executive board, who received the
protesters yesterday, promised to deliver the statement to
Megawati. She could not be reached for comment.

Latif's camp also demanded that the "family of PDI" reshuffle
the party's executive board, and called on the government to help
solve the crisis in the party.

M. Mas'oed, one of the protesters, accused Megawati of failing
in her father's footstep, first president Sukarno. "Bung Karno
was a great man who never held grudges for his opponents while
Mega, once elected, let her revenge loose by sacking people," he
said.

Latif and Gerry Mbatemooy, a member of the executive board,
were sacked earlier this month in a meeting attended by Megawati.

Secretary general Alex Litaay said Gerry was guilty of using
PDI's seal to legalize a letter of appointment for Latief as
chairman of the chapter, and that Latif had been warned twice
before for his defiance to party policy, but he remained unmoved.

The decision, according to Alex, was valid because it was
signed by 25 members of the executive board.

Gerry installed Latif as chairman of PDI's East Java chapter
in an unauthorized ceremony in Surabaya late last month. PDI
leader Megawati had earlier appointed Sutjipto, Latif's main
rival, for the post.

Latif set up his own provincial leadership of the party in
September after he lost an election to Sutjipto. The crisis got
out of hand after the local authorities threw their support
behind Latif and refused to recognize Sutjipto.

At first the local government favored Latif, an ardent critic
of Megawati -- the one who appointed Sutjipto after a congress
failed to elect a new chapter chief several months ago. But when
the crisis worsened, the government announced that it supported
neither Sutjipto nor Latif.

The PDI central executive board split into two camps over the
handling of the crisis, one spearheaded by Gerry Mbatemooy
supporting Latif and the other backing Sutjipto.(swe)