Restless chapters push for Chairul's ouster

Eva C. Komandjaja, Jakarta

Several provincial chapters of the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) are demanding the immediate resignation of chairman Chairul Tanjung and have asked for an extraordinary meeting to be held within the next two weeks.

A newly established working group, comprising representatives from five provincial chapters, announced here on Friday an extraordinary meeting would be held on June 28 in Yogyakarta to find a acceptable replacement for Chairul.

The working group members are Yacob Rusdianto of the East Java chapter, Mustofa Djide of South Sulawesi, Icuk Sugiarto of Jakarta, Johannes IW of North Sumatra and Koesdarto Pramono of Yogyakarta.

"According to PBSI statutes, an extraordinary meeting is necessary as a formal forum when the chairman is to be replaced," the head of the working group, Koesdarto, said here on Friday.

As many as 25 provincial chapters have called for Chairul's resignation on the grounds that he has failed to run the association properly, resulting in a breakdown in the sport's development.

Chairul, who took over the post in 2001, has signaled that he is willing to step down, but has said he will only resign after an acceptable replacement has been found.

While waiting for his replacement to be selected, Chairul said he would remain in his post until after the Athens Olympics in August.

However, with the restless chapters having set the date for an extraordinary meeting, it may not be possible for Chairul to maintain his position until the Olympics.

Koesdarto said the working group was expecting an official letter from Chairul offering his resignation in order to allow the extraordinary meeting to proceed.

"What we have received so far is a notification letter about his plan to resign. That is not enough," he said.

Koesdarto also brushed aside the possibility that the extraordinary meeting would fail to take place because organizers would be unable to get two-thirds of the chapters to attend, as required in the organization's statutes.

"According to the rules, if the chairman decides to resign it is necessary to hold a meeting, but the two-thirds rule is not necessary," Koesdarto said.

Former PBSI chairman Try Sutrisno has offered to mediate in the dispute.