PMII elects new chairman

PMII elects new chairman

SURABAYA, East Java: A violence-riddled student congress
eventually elected Syaiful Bahri from Yogyakarta as the new
chairman of the Indonesian Islamic University Students Movement
(PMII) on Sunday.

The participants of the week-long congress were involved in a
number of brawls during the congress even though in a statement
they deplored the government for resorting to violence in taming
its dissidents.

"Students' activities must be based on democratic ways and
nonviolent means," said the students in their declaration.

Its newly replaced chairman Muhaimin fled from the congress
venue after his opponents threatened to kill him.

PMII, affiliated with the 30-million-strong Islamic
organization Nahdlatul Ulama, also decided to present a
"democratic fighter" award to Megawati Soekarnoputri and a
"scapegoat" award to an acquitted murder suspect. (nur/prb)