PPP formally reverts to its former identity

PPP formally reverts to its former identity

JAKARTA (JP): The United Development Party (PPP) on Tuesday
formally reassumed its previous identity as an Islamic party, the
platform it plans to use in next year's general election against
about 100 other political parties.

The congress also endorsed the use of the image of the Kaaba,
the Moslem holy shrine in Mecca, as its symbol in place of the
star, but retained dark green as the party's color.

Zarkasih Nur, the congress' organizing committee chairman,
said PPP would go beyond mere token use of Islamic symbols to
campaign for the interests of the country's Moslems.

The party's program, to be endorsed during the congress' final
day on Wednesday, will be imbued with Islamic teachings, Zarkasih
said. "These changes are expected to have a positive impact on
the party's performance in the general election."

The congress also endorsed a number of reform proposals which
the party's new leaders -- to be inducted on Wednesday -- are
expected to push through the House of Representatives (DPR).

Zarkasih said the congress had given a mandate to the PPP
faction in the House to fight for a reduction in the number of
seats allocated to the Armed Forces (ABRI) to only 10.

PPP lost a motion to remove ABRI's political privileges during
the Special Session of the People's Consultative Assembly last
month. While it came up short in the attempt, the party won
widespread public support that it hopes will translate into votes
at the polls next year.

The House is currently debating three political bills which
include setting the number of seats to be allocated to ABRI as a
concession for not contesting the election. ABRI now has 75 seats
but the government-sponsored bill proposes cutting the amount to
55.

The congress ordered the party's new executive board to fight
for the dismantling of the Directorate General for Sociopolitical
Affairs within the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the military-
managed Coordinating Agency for the Maintenance of National
Stability (Bakorstranas).

Zarkasih said the two agencies had suppressed the activities
of political parties and were part and parcel of a political
system designed to keep Soeharto in power during his 32-year
presidency.

The presence of the agencies would continue to hamper the
development of democracy, he added.

While there seemed wide agreement on programs, the congress
was polarized along old factional lines on the question of the
leadership lineup.

The contest for the chairmanship crystallized on Tuesday into
a two-horse race between two party seniors who serve in the
Cabinet of President B.J. Habibie: State Minister of Food and
Horticulture A.M. Saefuddin and State Minister for Investment
Hamzah Haz.

The battle has virtually reopened the old rivalry between the
Muslimin Indonesia (MI) and the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the two
dominant factions that merged with two others political parties
into the PPP in 1973.

The PPP chairmanship contest has traditionally been won by the
MI.

Hamzah received the support of ulemas who worked hard behind
the scenes in lobbying congress delegates to support him.

Several young supporters launched a noisy campaign in the
corridors of the haj dormitory, the venue of the PPP congress.
"Long live Hamzah Haz. We support him as chairman," they shouted.

Saefuddin's supporters were equally active.

A petition supporting Saefuddin collected the signatures of
120 delegates by Tuesday afternoon.

It said signatories supported Saefuddin because he had strong
leadership qualities that the party badly needed to push the
Islamic mission and programs into the national agenda.

On Tuesday afternoon, the delegates began submitting the names
of seven "formatters", a board that would be given a free hand to
form the new leadership lineup, including that of chairman.

The result of the election of formatters was expected to be
announced later on Tuesday or in the early hours of Wednesday.
The board has until Wednesday afternoon to announce the new
lineup of the central executive board.

Hamzah's camp is championing seven names of Hamzah, Achmad
Karmani, Simli Sadli, Ali Marwan, Muchsin, Syaiful and Yudho
Paripurno.

Saefuddin's backers have thrown their weight behind Saefuddin,
Bachtiar Chamzah, Alfian Dharmawan, Rusdi Hamka, Mudrick Setiawan
M.S. and Ali Hardi Kiyai Demak. (rms)