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)