PDI rebels support Soerjadi

Thu, 20 Jun 1996, 00:00 WIB | Source: JP

By M.M.I. Ahyani

MEDAN, North Sumatra (JP): Leading dissenters in the
Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) claim they have no intention to
unseat incumbent chief Megawati Soekarnoputri, yet say 109 of the
306 branches have expressed support for the re-election of former
chairman Soerjadi.

Congress organizers Untung Sutomo and Mulyono Sutarmo
announced yesterday that some branches "openly stated their
support for Soerjadi" before the congress started.

Untung said it will be up to the participants to discuss the
election mechanism.

"Everything will be done in accordance with the existing
regulations," he insisted.

Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. is scheduled to open
the congress today in the Pangkalan Mansyur Haj Dormitory in
Medan, North Sumatra.

"The congress is not meant to topple Megawati. However, if the
congress finds that her leadership should be corrected, then
we'll discuss it," Untung said. "Please remember, the congress is
the highest authority in a political party," he added.

In Jakarta, President Soeharto endorsed the congress yesterday
when he told Yogie to "do your job well" after the minister
reported on the planned congress.

"I told the President that I am ready to open the congress,"
Yogie said, reiterating that the breakaway faction's congress is
lawful and, therefore, its outcome would be lawful.

"The congress is legal, and so will be all of its results," he
stated. He then expressed hope that the congress would end the
bickering.

He denied, however, that the election of a new chairperson is
on the agenda.

"The only central executive board I know is the one located at
Jl. Diponegoro No. 58 in Central Jakarta," he said.

As of yesterday afternoon, a total of 242 branches from 22
provinces had arrived at the dormitory. Four other provinces --
Bali, East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara and Southeast
Sulawesi -- were scheduled to arrive late yesterday.

"The number of participants has reached a quorum, so the
congress is valid," Mulyono said.

The organizing committee has prepared an agenda, starting with
a report by Fatimah Achmad, a deputy chief to Megawati. She
initiated the congress.

The central executive board will then give an account of its
leadership. The account will be delivered by yet another deputy
chief, Subagyo. The board's speech will be presented by
Ismunandar.

Mulyono and Untung said the congress is the continuation of
the botched 1993 congress, also in Medan, and follows the
"extraordinary congress" and "national meeting" in East Java last
year.

Given the need for continuity, the congress members will then
discuss the work left by the prior meetings, including the four
political statements issued by the national meeting.

"We expect to issue a political statement by the end of this
congress," Mulyono said. He did not decline when reporters
suggested the statement could include support for the
renomination of President Soeharto for the 1998 presidential
election.

"The authority to nominate a presidential candidate lies in
the factions of the People's Consultative Assembly," Mulyono
said. "But don't take this as refusing to renominate President
Soeharto."

"What's certain is that the congress will hear the central
executive board's account on 15 decisions taken in the 1994
national meeting," he said.

Untung dismissed reports that he and the other deputies had
been dismissed from Megawati's board.

"A decision of the board's can only be considered valid if
it's taken in a meeting attended by at least 15 executives," he
said.

The board once had 27 members, but Megawati's camp has only 11
executives left.

Untung gave an equally cool response to the massive
demonstration held in Jakarta yesterday against his congress
taking place.

"You can't run a party by intrigue. Everything has a rule.
Those who demonstrated might not even vote in the general
election next year," he stated.