Police vow to stay away from PDI conflict

JAKARTA (JP): The national police pledged yesterday they would stay away from any leadership conflicts within the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).

Spokesman for the national police Brig. Gen. I Ketut Ratta said the police will leave it up to PDI leaders to resolve the conflict over the dual leadership of the East Java party chapter.

"It is their business and it is up to them to manage it," he was quoted by Antara news agency as saying.

The PDI top leadership is currently split into two opposing camps in the handling of the East Java party leadership crisis.

PDI chief Megawati Sukarnoputri has appointed Sucipto as the provincial party chapter chairman but her top aides, Edwin Sukowati and Gerry Mbatemooy, recognize Sucipto's arch rival, Latief Pudjosakti.

The crisis stemmed from the party's failure to elect the new chapter leader in a congress earlier this year. Sucipto beat Latief in the election but the result was declared invalid when the number of ballot papers counted was more than that of the eligible voters.

With the conflict unresolved, the electoral board in the congress elected Latief, which received strong backing from the East Java governor but was opposed by Megawati.

Megawati stepped into the battle, choosing Sucipto for the legitimate chapter chief with the East Java governor, who favored Latief, refusing to recognize Sucipto.

Megawati and Gerry plan to inaugurate their own choice this week, but none of them has obtained the necessary permit from the government for the ceremony.

In September, Megawati had to cancel Sucipto's inauguration after the governor refused to issue the permit.

Ratta said yesterday that the police headquarters in Jakarta delegated the permit permission to the East Java police.

He declined to comment which camp the authorities should give the permit to.

Ratta said the police had anticipated disruptive incidents in the planned inaugural ceremonies held by the opposing camps. (pan)