PPP to hold congress in 2003

PPP to hold congress in 2003

JAKARTA: The Muslim-based United Development Party (PPP) has
decided to convene its next national congress in June 2003 to
elect a new party chairman.

"The congress in June has become a certainty," PPP secretary
general Ali Marwan Hanan said here on Friday.

It was not immediately clear why the party had decided to
organize its next national congress in 2003, as some party
heavyweights, including chairman Hamzah Haz, had insisted on
delaying it until after the elections in 2004.

The disagreement resulted in a party rift that culminated in
the establishment of a rival group, the Reform PPP, chaired by
popular Muslim preacher Zainuddin M.Z.

Ali Marwan also said that his party had not decided on its
presidential candidate for the 2004-2009 term.

"The nomination of a presidential candidate will be decided by
the next national executive board (to be elected in the June 2003
congress)," he said.

Meanwhile, PPP chairman Hamzah Haz, who is also the country's
vice president, told the press that his party had formed a
Steering Committee (SC) and an Organizing Committee (OC) for the
congress.

According to Hamzah, the SC would be chaired by Zarkasih Nur,
one of the party's vice chairmen, while the OC would be headed by
Faisal Ba'asyir. --Antara