Police has yet to issue permit for Megawati

JAKARTA (JP): National Police chief Lt. Gen. Roesmanhadi said on Wednesday that the police have yet to issue a permit for a congress planned by the faction of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) loyal to Megawati Soekarnoputri.

"The congress, planned for Oct. 8 to Oct. 10, has still got a long way to go. We still have time. You (journalists) just calm down," he told reporters prior to a limited cabinet meeting on political and security affairs at the Bina Graha presidential office.

"Insya Allah (God willing), we'll issue the permit soon," he added.

Asked about security preparations for the congress, he said the police, together with locals from the holiday island of Bali where the congress is to be held, have been taking the steps necessary to safeguard the event.

Earlier on Tuesday, Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto said the government would grant the permit as long as Megawati guaranteed security on the island for the duration of the congress.

While Jakarta is still busy discussing the possibility of granting the congress a permit, the Bali chapter of the PDI has almost completed preparations for the three-day meeting.

"We have readied 1,000 pecalang (civilian security officials) to safeguard the congress," the chairman of Bali chapter of the PDI loyal to Megawati, Ida Bagus Putu Wesnawa, said as quoted by Antara.

The pecalang, who will be armed with keris (wavy double-bladed daggers) or clubs, will form the front line of security at the opening ceremony, for which it has been estimated 50,000 guests will be in attendance. Police and other security officials will form a second line of defense behind the civilians.

Putu Wesnawa dismissed reports that the congress organizing committee had been seeking financial assistance from the local business community.

"It's very possible that people have forged my signature and used the congress to seek profit."

Meanwhile, the license plates on many government-owned cars in the province have been changed from red to black in anticipation of the possibility of rioting.

However, Bali Vice Governor Ahim Abdurahim said on Wednesday that the local administration had not issued any such instruction to its employees, despite a recent case in which a car bearing the government's distinctive red license plates was attacked by PDI activists in Mengwi subdistrict.

Buleleng Regent Ketut Wirata Sindhu, who was in the car attacked by the PDI, has instructed all his staff to change their license plates if they intend to travel out of Buleleng, especially to the capital Denpasar.

In a related development, the chairman of the PDI Central Java chapter loyal to Megawati, Soeratal, reiterated that his faction intends to renominate Megawati to the party's leadership during the congress.

"Megawati has been consistent in her struggle for justice and democratization in the country," he told reporters on Wednesday.

Soeratal also said he intends to suggest that Megawati should continue to use the PDI's name, rather than change it in exchange for government recognition.

President B.J. Habibie's administration has adopted the policy followed by his predecessor Soeharto of steadfastly recognizing only a rival faction in the party, which is now led by Budi Hardjono. (imn/har)