PPP gathering to go ahead

JAKARTA: A United Development Party (PPP) faction said a planned gathering here of party members at the end of the month would not lead to calls for an extraordinary congress to elect a new party leader.

The event's organizing committee chairman, Irgan Chairul Hafidz, said the gathering would serve as a forum for sharing ideas on how to help the party improve on its showing in the 2004 legislative election.

Irgan said PPP leader Hamzah Haz had expressed interest in attending the event, but other party executives were trying to prevent him from attending.

A party executive, Mahmud F. Rakasima, said earlier the gathering was a breach of party rules as such an event was not recognized in the party's statutes. -- Antara