Rebels seek PDI-P change of guard
Rebels seek PDI-P change of guard
I Wayan Juniartha, The Jakarta Post, Sanur
An internal rift in the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
(PDI-P) became widened during the party's one-day national
meeting here on Tuesday, with several senior executives
campaigning for a leadership change.
Calls for reform within the party come as its leader,
incumbent President Megawati Soekarnoputri, heads to a crushing
defeat in the Sept. 20 presidential at the hands of her former
chief security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
PDI-P executive and businessman Arifin Panigoro was among
those at the forefront in calling for a reshuffle of the party's
leadership in a bid to modernize the country's second largest
political party.
"We must abandon the old paradigm. PDI-P should transform
itself into the kind of modern, nationalist party this country
will need in the next 50 years, instead of becoming the party
this country needed 100 years ago," he said,
Arifin said Megawati's record over the course of her three-
year presidency played a crucial role in determining the outcome
of the presidential election.
"The voters obviously examined Ibu Mega's deeds during her
three years as President," he said on the sidelines of the
meeting in Sanur, Bali
However, he refused to blame any specific executives for
Megawati's imminent loss in the historic election.
Arifin also stopped short of saying that those wanting to
reform the PDI-P should topple Megawati from her position as the
party's leader.
"I did not say that. It (a change of leadership) should be
decided by all of the elements of the party. However, I believe
that we are moving in that direction.
"There must be change inside the party's structure. It's an
ongoing process right now and we still don't know at this moment
whether the change will be achieved through a special national
congress or an expedited congress," Arifin said.
Held at the Grand Bali Beach Hotel, the one-day meeting was
attended by leaders of the party's provincial chapters throughout
Indonesia.
Megawati's husband Taufik Kiemas and brother Guruh
Soekarnoputra, as well as most members of the party's central
executive board, were among those in attendance.
Megawati officially opened the meeting by striking a gong
after giving a brief speech.
Kwik Kian Gie, a senior PDI-P executive who has been highly
critical of some Megawati loyalists for harming the party's
image, was not seen at the meeting.
He has several times named PDI-P secretary-general Sutjipto,
his deputy Pramono Anung and party executive Gunawan Wirosarojo
as those most responsible for Megawati's defeat in the direct
presidential election, and has said the three should be kicked
out of the party.
Asked why Kwik was not in Sanur, Arifin said: "I think Kwik
has already said more than enough in Jakarta."
Outside the hotel, dozens of PDI-P supporters staged a
peaceful protest demanding the dismissal of party executives
responsible for the party's failure to win the legislative and
presidential elections. The protesters did not provide specific
names.
When asked about Kwik's absence, Sutjipto said: "Why don't you
ask Pak Kwik? Everybody was invited to this meeting."
Responding to Kwik's statement that the PDI-P must be cleansed
of what he called "rotten" members, Sutjipto said the party did
not have any mechanisms for such an action.
"If Pak Kwik keeps saying that, then there is the possibility
that this national meeting will come up with a decision to
discharge him from the party," he warned.
The gathering ended with nine recommendations, including a
call for the PDI-P's central board not to tolerate any campaigns
by party executives that were not in line with the party's
prevailing regulations.