PDI yet to decide stance on election results

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) maintained over the weekend its threat to reject general election results in protest of alleged violations.

A leadership meeting held here Saturday issued a directive which encouraged the party's branches across the country's 305 regencies to boycott the endorsement of ballot counting results, which runs from today through to next Monday.

"We have asked our branches to relay their protests to their respective regional election supervision committees. We have also called on them not to sign the results if our protests are not properly handled," PDI secretary-general Buttu Hutapea said after the meeting.

"Up to now, there has been no indication that the protests have been heeded," he said.

The approval of election results follows the bottom-up order, from the second administrative level to the provincial level. Official results will be announced by the National Elections Committee on June 23.

Buttu said the party leadership will have decided on whether PDI would sign the official results or not by June 22.

According to election rules, poll results remain valid without approval from the political parties contending the general election, which are the PDI, the dominant Golkar and the Moslem- based United Development Party (PPP).

Buttu said all party branches were asked to report violations in detail, ranging from crimes to administrative irregularities.

The party leadership issued official protests to the General Election Institute Wednesday over violations during the election campaign, the cooling-off period, vote casting and ballot counting.

It said the party would boycott the remaining stages of the general election if the election organizers failed to handle the violations properly. The boycott would mean that PDI would quit the House.

The party said that irregularities were behind its drastic decline of votes. With ballot counting almost over, PDI has secured only 10 House of Representatives seats, compared to PPP's 89 and Golkar's 325.

Consolidation

Buttu said Saturday's meeting, led by chairman Soerjadi, was marked by a discussion on the party's bid to bounce back.

"We want to look ahead to the future... consolidate our full strength for the congress next year, instead of being occupied by our worst defeat," Buttu said.

He dismissed speculations that the party's congress would be moved forward due to its poor showing in the recent election.

"We confirmed our intention to hold the congress in June next year as scheduled, in which we will deliver our accountability over our performance in the election," Buttu said.

He was commenting on a recent statement by deputy chairman, Budi Hardjono, that an early congress could be held to avoid the party from suffering further demoralization.

Budi was present at Saturday's meeting and, according to Buttu, was asked to clarify his remarks.

"We conclude the press has misunderstood his (Budi's) statement," said Buttu.

Buttu said the party had decided to form a team made up of leadership board members to carry out the consolidation program. They will visit the party's grassroots supporters to explain the party's upset defeat.

A congress will elect the party's chairman and cabinet lineup.

The party was split into two factions following a government- backed congress which reinstated Soerjadi and ousted chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri last year.

Buttu said there was no room for Megawati to run for the party's top post. (amd)