QSAR, a pebble in the shoe for Hamzah Haz
A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Support is mounting for Hamzah Haz to be reelected as chairman of the United Development Party (PPP), but his journey to the top will not be as smooth as expected.
At least three provincial chapters questioned on Wednesday his accountability speech presented in the ongoing party congress, demanding that Hamzah and other executive board members be more transparent in the high profile QSAR scandal.
The three chapters were Bali, Riau, and Yogyakarta.
The controversial case was brought to light in the national political scene last year, after agribusiness company PT Qurnia Subur Alam Raya (QSAR) went bankrupt.
PPP, the country's third biggest party, suffered a blow from the case, after news broke out that Tosari Widjaja, Hamzah's confidante, was one of the investors in the troubled firm.
Tosari admitted that he invested Rp 5 billion of PPP's money in the company.
As the money vanished, Hamzah's opponents stepped up pressure for a thorough investigation into the scandal.
The pressure resurfaced in the ongoing national congress, which started on Tuesday, to elect a new chairman for the Muslim- based political party.
Hamzah, who is also the Vice President, has made clear his intention to run for the post. Another party leader, Bachtiar Chamsyah, is also running for the party's top post. Chamsyah is also Minister for Social Affairs.
The three provinces noted on Wednesday that Hamzah had deliberately omitted the QSAR scandal from his accountability speech.
The Bali provincial chapter, for example, regretted that the case was not touched on in the accountability speech.
"An explanation must be given, otherwise the old executive board will be deemed both irresponsible and not transparent in this case," said Abdul Djalil, a member of Bali provincial chapter.
Zarkasih Noer, one of the party's top leaders who is close to Hamzah, explained later that the QSAR case had been solved and the Rp 5 billion had been given back to the party.
Zarkasih, however, also said that the party was ready to set up a team to clarify the matter.
However, in general, the challenge was largely ignored by Hamzah's camp, given that only three out of 30 chapters raised the issue. They were confident that the challenge would not damage Hamzah's bid for the chairmanship.
"The majority of chapters still support Hamzah," said Tosari Widjaja.
Hamzah, who was elected PPP chairman in 1999, has been touted to win a second term. Hamzah will, however, face a stiff challenge from Bachtiar Chamsyah who claims to represent the younger cadres.
On Wednesday, hundreds of participants in the national meeting listened to presentations made by each chapter, in which each chapter responded to the accountability speech.
It was expected that the meeting would complete discussions on the rules and procedures on the election of chairman by Wednesday night.
Separately, Hamzah supporters stepped up pressure against Bachtiar. The party's right wing Angkatan Muda Ka'abah (AMK) demanded Bachtiar withdraw from the chairmanship race on the grounds that he had minimal support.
Chairman of AMK, Sofyan Usman, claimed that Bachtiar only had garnered support from four chapters, namely Riau, Yogyakarta, West Sumatra and Papua.