PDI rebels support Soerjadi

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.

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