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)