'Political tragedy' dogs PDI Perjuangan

'Political tragedy' dogs PDI Perjuangan

SEMARANG (JP): Alleged money politics and an internal rift
have cast a shadow over the maiden congress of the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), which begins on
Sunday.

Calling the turbulent prelude "a political tragedy", noted
political observer Johanes Kristiadi warned the party on Friday
of a major setback in the next general election if it failed to
agree on a radical reform within itself.

Deputy chairman of the party, Dimyati Hartono, underscored the
need for PDI Perjuangan to change, otherwise it would lose the
trust of the people who helped the party win in last year's
polls.

"The internal feuding and the scandals have a lot to do with
the executive board's dominating role and the undemocratic
condition within the party," he said.

Both Kristiadi and Dimyati were responding to attempts to
block certain party members from running for the top post which
will be on offer during the congress between March 26 and April
1.

Dimyati expressed his concern over reports of rampant money
politics involving PDI Perjuangan legislators in the Sumatra
cities of Medan and Lampung, and the Central Java cities of
Semarang and Boyolali.

"The scandals constitute a serious crisis that could
jeopardize the party's future," Dimyati said in a seminar in the
coastal town of Pekalongan, Central Java.

The party's central board of executives have suspended all 16
representatives in the Medan legislature for allegedly throwing
away a race for the mayor post for money. The legislators said
they were forced to confess to taking bribes of Rp 25 million
each.

Dimyati also suspected that many members of the executive
board practiced money politics in selecting the branches'
delegations to the congress.

"Money politics could be detected in the branches' meetings to
determine their delegations to the congress. A number of local
functionaries exerted terror and intimidation in determining
their delegations," he said.

Kristiadi, from the Center for Strategic and International
Studies (CSIS), suggested that the party push for fundamental
changes to maintain its popularity in the future.

Speaking at a seminar here, he said the party failed to take
political advantage of its success in last year's general
election.

"The party, for example, dominates many provincial and regency
legislatures, but they can not win any governor or regent
elections," he said.

"It is not solely the party's failure, because we've inherited
a system which does not enable political parties to develop
well."

Separately, House of Representatives legislators representing
PDI Perjuangan urged the congress to arrange a discussion on how
to cope with the internal conflict and alleged scandals.

One of the legislators, Postdam Hutasoit, said the congress
was expected to apply merits in its recruitment during the week-
long congress.

"The congress has to be able to recruit new leaders who have
both strong leadership and managerial skills to settle the
existing internal conflicts and to make the party an agent of
change for the sake of the people," he said.

Another legislator, Aberson Marle Sihaloho, raised his concern
over the fact that the flaw-ridden electoral system had resulted
in the poor quality of legislators at all levels of
administration.

"Many uneducated activists have entered the legislative bodies
because voters elected party symbols and not figures in the
elections," he said.

Meanwhile, Jakob Tobing blamed the media for exaggerating the
party's decision on Eros Djarot, one of the alternative
candidates for the party's chief post. His departure to Semarang
was prevented by the party's South Jakarta branch.

Jakob, like Postdam and Aberson, believed that incumbent
chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri would win her reelection.

They said the party had no acceptable or capable figures other
than Megawati to lead the party in the next election.

Aberson said Megawati's strength not only laid within her
charisma but also in the party's vision and mission which was
reflected in her personality.

"The party's mission and vision could be implemented under
Megawati's leadership and this was proven in the last elections,"
he said.

PDI Perjuangan was established in May 1999, two months prior
to the general election. (01/har/jun/rms)