PPP chief expects government pressure in upcoming congress

PPP chief expects government pressure in upcoming congress

JAKARTA (JP): The chairman of the United Development Party
(PPP) says he has detected pressure from outside the party to
influence the election of its new leaders.

Ismail Hasan Metareum told reporters on Tuesday during a
courtesy call on Vice President Try Sutrisno that he believed the
government of President Soeharto would not meddle in the party's
affairs.

He said presidential intervention is permitted by 1975
legislation, but only under special circumstances. "I think the
President is a democrat that he would not intervene in a congress
of a political party."

The suggestions of possible government intervention rekindled
memories of the government's unsuccessful attempt to influence
the congress of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) last year.
At that time, the government moved to prevent the election of
Megawati Soekarnoputri, the daughter of former president Sukarno.

The attempt failed but the party had to convene three
congresses before Megawati was finally allowed to take the helm
of the PDI, the smallest of the three political parties in
Indonesia after Golkar and the PPP.

The PPP leadership election appears to be another tough
contest with various competing factions within the party already
staking their claims for the top post.

The Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), by far the largest of the four
factions that make up the PPP, is already sending signals that it
wants the chairmanship post which has eluded it's grasp all this
time.

PPP is also under strong pressure to elect a popular leader to
match the charisma of Megawati and Golkar's Harmoko, with
analysts warning that PPP's could be relegated to third position
after the next general election in 1997.

Ismail Hasan said that some of the people who are warning
about the imminent government intervention may be doing so
because they actually want to see that happen. He was referring
in particular to the remarks by Abdurrahman Wahid, the chairman
of NU.

"It appeared that he has already designed a plan to ensure
government's intervention," he said. He added, however, that
controversies were normal in the run up to an important gathering
like the PPP's congress.

Candidates

The government has played a role in all previous PPP
elections. Even if their role was not one of direct intervention,
at the very least, their approval was necessary to allow a
candidate to move to the top.

PPP has already invited President Soeharto to open its
congress, scheduled for Aug. 29-Sept. 1 in Jakarta.

Ismail Hasan stressed that the PPP this time does not need any
intervention from outside the party. "We don't need any help
keeping order in our own house."

He declined to answer questions about the candidates for the
chairmanship post, saying that the nominations would be formally
announced at the congress.

Ismail Hasan, who has been accused of being too conservative,
has not ruled out running for the post again. Other possible
candidates mentioned include his secretary general Matori Abdul
Djalil and legislator Hamzah Haz, both from the NU faction.

A number of NU leaders are planning to hold a meeting later
this month in Rembang, Central Java, to discuss strategy ahead of
the PPP congress.

Asked about PPP's chances in the 1997 election given the
rising popularity of PDI under Megawati and Golkar under Harmoko,
Ismail Hasan responded that his party will rely more on its
organization and program, rather than on individual figures.

"But what is even more important is that the election system
itself be fair, not like in past elections," he said. "If we can
have a fair election, then, God willing, the PPP can have the
upper hand." (emb)