Police has yet to issue permit for Megawati

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)