PPP and its congress

PPP and its congress

From Detik

The second largest political party in Indonesia, the United Development Party (PPP), will hold a congress in August to elect its leader for the next five-year term.

Since early March, some popular candidates such as the intellectual Gus Dur, singer Rhoma Irama, ulema KH Zainudin MZ and legislative member Sri Bintang Pamungkas have been widely rumored as the possible new leader. But the closer the date of the congress, the more uncertain the discussion about the candidates' requirements.

The competition for the PPP top spot is turning from a leader who can accommodate all interests of party's members to a sectarian issue. It is obvious now that the two big powers in the PPP - Indonesian Moslem (MI) and Nahdatul Ulama(NU) - are fighting for PPP's leadership.

Indeed, such a conflict is a common thing in political game, but PPP should learn from the failure of the smallest party, the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) to elect its Chairperson in the past congress, necessitating an extraordinary and national congress.

The PDI failure was caused by two things: internal conflicts and government intervention.

It is important for PPP not to tolerate sectarian conflict and outside intervention.

PPP needs a democratic leader to come from a democratic election.

AGUS YAHYA SS.

Semarang, Central Java