PDI split on controversial House exit plan

PDI split on controversial House exit plan

JAKARTA (JP): The government-recognized leadership of the
Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) was split yesterday on a
controversial plan to relinquish its House of Representatives
seats won in last Thursday's general election.

PDI Secretary-General Buttu Hutapea said the party's post-
election leadership meeting had been extended until today to make
a final decision.

"We heard reports on election violations in the provinces
throughout the day, but we have not started talks on measures we
will take in response to our findings," Buttu said.

The party's Central Sulawesi chief Abdul Manaf Latjambo said
the party leaders had released a provisional directive for no
branches to approve election results in their respective
provinces, pending a decision by the national leadership.

Buttu denied that the marathon plenary meeting, chaired by
party leader Soerjadi, had included discussions on the plan to
quit the House.

Deputy chairman Ismunandar, Jakarta chief Loekman Mokoginta
and his South Sulawesi counterpart Andi Hasit were the meeting's
major absentees. Loekman and Ismunandar were on a trip to Germany
with fellow city councilors and Andi was sick.

With ballot counting almost at an end, PDI has managed to win
only 10 seats, one shy of minimum representation in the House.

It was obvious, however, that some provincial leaders
attending the meeting supported the exit plan despite Buttu's
statement.

Latjambo was one of the party figures favoring the plan. He
said that a move to leave PDI's House seats vacant would force
the government to examine its own electoral system that had
failed to uphold fair play in the elections.

A source said the Jakarta, Central Java, Yogyakarta and North
Sumatra offices had joined the chorus demanding an early PDI exit
from the House.

East Timor branch chief Gabriel Da Costa represented those who
opposed the idea to pull out of the House, saying it was not the
proper means to protest the government over election
irregularities.

Deputy chairman Budi Hardjono said as of yesterday evening
none of the branches had officially called on the leadership to
relinquish the party's House seats.

He admitted that supporters of the party's ousted leader
Megawati Soekarnoputri not voting PDI was one of the key reasons
behind the PDI annihilation. Megawati announced a week before
last Thursday's polls that she would not vote.

Earlier in the day, General Elections Committee Secretary-
General, Suryatna Subrata, told the undermanned PDI not to waste
its House seats.

He said: "The PDI's decision to relinquish its House seats
will disappoint its supporters who voted for it.

"The PDI central board should think it over carefully before
making such a decision."

Speaking about Golkar chairman Harmoko's offer to hand over
the unallocated seats to PDI, Suryatna said it was not regulated
in the electoral laws.

"There must have been prior agreement between the three poll
contestants when each of them submitted their list of provisional
legislative candidates for such a course of action to be taken,"
he said.

When asked about some United Development Party branches'
threat not to sign the official election results report, Suryatna
said it would not cause any problems for the general elections
institute.

"The official general election result reports will be
validated by each provincial or regency office of the general
elections committee. They have nothing to do with any party's
chapter or branch chairman," he said.

The provincial and regency offices of the general elections
committee consist of government and military officials as well as
representatives of the three contestants. (imn/amd)