PPP needs changes in leadership, LSI survey says

PPP needs changes in leadership, LSI survey says

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A day ahead of the national gathering of the United Development
Party (PPP), a survey by the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI)
revealed on Thursday that the popularity of the country's largest
Islamic political party may further tumble at the next general
election unless changes are made in the party's leadership.

Denny J.A., executive director of LSI, said that based on the
results of a recent survey, the party's popularity tumbled to 7th
place, garnering only 2.6 percent of votes.

"If an election were to be held today, PPP would not pass the
minimum threshold and would turn into a minor party," Denny said
at a seminar held by Young Generation of Indonesian Development
(GMPI), the youth wing of PPP, prior to a 3-day national
gathering of the party starting on Friday.

PPP obtained 8.15 percent of votes in last year's general
election, placing the party as the fourth largest in the House of
Representatives. However, Hamzah Haz, the party's chairman, lost
the presidential election, having garnered only three percent of
the vote.

Because of these losses, several groups within the party have
for some time insisted on holding a national gathering to
accelerate changes in the party's leadership, despite the central
board's opposition.

Denny explained that there were signs that former PPP voters
shifted their votes to the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS),
another Islamic-based party, in last year's elections because its
campaigns were more attractive to voters.

"There is a new joke now: 'Check out of PPP and check into
PKS.' Most of our voters thought the PPP executed some self-
destructive maneuvers, such as joining the Nationhood Coalition
instead of advocating issues that concern the grassroots," Denny
said.

The survey, which covered 1,200 respondents in 150 cities and
villages, showed that 33.3 percent of respondents believed that
the party had not fulfilled its promises, made in last year's
election campaigns, while 11.1 percent said that PPP would have
no chance of winning the next election in 2009.

The survey also showed that voters were more concerned about
issues such as curbing soaring prices of basic necessities, as
well as education, unemployment, corruption and better law
enforcement.

"The survey showed that PKS could take over the 4th position
(in the next election) now held by PPP. The reason is that PKS
has been campaigning for clean governance while PPP has not done
anything related to grassroots concerns," Denny said, claiming
that his institution was known for its high degree of accuracy.

Denny suggested that changes in leadership and other reform
measures must be taken by PPP leaders to prevent further decline
in the party's popularity.

"In other countries, leaders of losing parties step down just
three days after the election. They are aware that they have not
performed well," he said.

Irgan Chairul Mahfidz of GMPI said that the national PPP
gathering, which is expected to be attended by more than 1,000
participants from 32 provinces, would discuss how to prevent the
LSI survey results from becoming reality.

"We don't care what the options are that will be taken by the
central board -- whether it is to have an extra-ordinary national
meeting or to accelerate the national congress. The bottom line
is that the central board must be sensitive to the demands of its
constituents," Irgan said.

Reports have previously said that Hamzah and certain other
party leaders have opposed the national gathering as it was seen
as a move to set in motion a campaign to remove the current
leadership.(006)