PPP to withdraw vocal legislator Sri Bintang

PPP to withdraw vocal legislator Sri Bintang

JAKARTA (JP): The Central Executive Board of the United
Development Party (PPP) yesterday announced its intention to have
one of its vocal legislators, Sri Bintang Pamungkas, withdrawn
from the House of Representatives.

Party leaders told reporters that Bintang's persistence in
questioning the validity of the state ideology, Pancasila, and
the 1945 Constitution was viewed as a major transgression against
the official party line, the Antara news agency reported.

"For the PPP, the questions of Pancasila and the 1945
Constitution have been resolved. But Bintang has continued asking
questions about them in official forums and at seminars," said
Aisyah Amini, a member of both the PPP executive board and the
House.

"We have warned him on many occasions since 1993, but he has
continued to transgress," said Aisyah.

She and board deputy chairman Zein Badjeber jointly announced
the decision yesterday after a four-hour plenary board meeting.
Secretary General Tosari Wijaya was also present at the press
briefing although he spoke little.

Bintang, an economist by training, has been the PPP's enfant
terrible. His outspokenness in the House has increasingly made
him a liability rather than an asset in the eyes of the largely
conservative party leaders.

He was the star of the PPP during the 1992 election campaign,
improving the party's image with young voters, and was duly
rewarded with a seat in the House.

At the PPP's national congress last August, Bintang mounted a
challenge against incumbent chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum in the
leadership election, mobilizing his mainly youthful supporters.

He got into trouble last year when party leaders admonished
him for speaking out against the presence of the military in the
House. The party was forced to make a statement that Bintang's
remarks on the issue reflected his own personal views and not the
official party position.

He embarrassed the party again this month when he got into a
heated argument with Minister of Finance Mar'ie Muhammad during a
House hearing.

Mar'ie was angered by Bintang's accusation that he had
threatened the local press when, he said, he had done no such
thing. Bintang remains adamant that a threat was made.

The incident was immediately reported to PPP chairman Ismail
Hasan Metareum, who promised a thorough investigation.

In a press statement made available to The Jakarta Post last
night, Bintang said his dismissal from the House did not surprise
him because he had long sensed that it was coming.

He said that ever since he joined the PPP he had had different
views from the party and the government on many issues.

Bintang recalled that during the 1992 election campaign he
urged the government to be consistent about the 1945 Constitution
and urged the Armed Forces to be neutral.

"I have long prepared myself for the worst case of being fired
from the House," he said.

"There is nothing surprising about being 'recalled' because it
is part of the political system."

He said that the political system had made House members from
all factions loyal to the political organizations to which they
belong rather than to the people they represent.

"I thought the PPP would become more independent. But it is
becoming clear that it is increasingly dependent on the
bureaucracy," he said.

The move comes in the wake of a move by Golkar, the dominant
faction in the House, to have one of its own legislators, Bambang
Warih Koesoemo, dismissed.

Golkar's request that Bambang be removed was submitted to
House Speaker Wahono who, in turn, passed it on to President
Soeharto, "with some additional notes."

Zein said the party's board would consult with the House
leadership about the proposal to fire Bintang.

Asked whether the PPP would miss Bintang's presence, Zein
replied sarcastically: "Yes, we'll miss one member. But we'll
soon find a replacement." (emb/pan)