PPP faces new threat of split

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Muslim-based United Development Party (PPP) is facing yet another split after 15 of the party's 28 central board members agreed to hold its national congress in 2003, instead of 2004, to elect new party leaders.

PPP faction secretary Endin A.J. Soefihara said on Monday that the 15 party leaders had submitted a letter to the central board demanding that the party's national congress be held in 2003 to avoid more problems.

"We want an immediate response from the central board," Endin said. He did not say when the letter had been submitted.

Endin refused to name the 15 executive members, but a party source said that they included Endin himself, Barlianta Harahap (chairman of PPP faction), and legislator Faisal Baasir.

The congress issue has become the major cause of a potential split in the largest Muslim party in Indonesia.

Several PPP leaders established a new party, named PPP Reform, in January after current PPP Chairman Hamzah Haz, who is also the Vice President, insisted on postponing the congress to 2004 instead of 2003, as agreed at the party's last congress.

The splinter party, led by noted Muslim preacher Zainuddin MZ, has increasingly become a major threat to PPP, especially ahead of the coming general election in 2004.

Some analysts here have suggested that the rift may have been triggered by a battle for power and influence within the party ahead of the 2004 general election.

Whoever is party chairman in the run up to the 2004 elections is going to play an important role in deciding the party's legislative lineup.

Hamzah and Minister for Cooperatives and Small Enterprises Ali Marwan Hanan are the current chairman and secretary-general of PPP respectively.

Both leaders were elected during a national congress (muktamar) attended by the executive board and provincial and district chapters in Jakarta in 1998.

Based on the party's internal regulations, their leadership would end in 2003. However, a national leaders meeting (mukernas) attended by the PPP executive board and provincial chapters recommended that the congress be held after the election in 2004.

"The muktamar (congress) is the party's highest institution, so we have to follow it. The next congress must be held next year," said Arief Mudatsir, PPP legislator who backed the petition.

Fellow legislator Lukman Hakim Saifuddin added that if the current central board extended its term to 2004, that would only spark internal conflict.

"I fear the conflict will disrupt preparations for the 2004 general election," said Lukman.

Neither Lukman nor Arief number among the 28 members of the central board.

Hamzah voiced agreement early this month that his party might hold a leadership meeting in May to discuss the possibility of bringing forward its national congress to 2003 to elect a new chairman.