Rival camps set for PPP chairmanship race

Rival camps set for PPP chairmanship race

A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Five provincial chapters of the United Development Party (PPP)
announced their support for the reelection of Hamzah Haz on
Thursday, but demanded that in return he recruit young cadres to
fill 70 percent of positions in the party's central board.

The provincial chapters from West Java, Jakarta, Bangka
Belitung, North Sumatra and Maluku also officially asked the
party to name Hamzah, who is the Vice President, its presidential
candidate.

Burhanuddin Somawinata, the chairman of the West Java chapter,
said the presence of more young cadres in the party's inner
circle could boost its chance of winning the 2004 general
election.

He said the party was in dire need of fresh blood to overcome
tough opposition in the 2004 general election, and he was
confident that the young guns in the party were capable enough of
leading the party to victory.

The five provincial chapters said Hamzah's reelection as party
chairman would enable him to run for the presidency.

Ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle has named
chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, who is the President, its
presidential candidate, while National Mandate Party has picked
its chairman Amien Rais, who is the People's Consultative
Assembly speaker its aspirant for presidency. Another major party
the National Awakening Party is close to supporting chief patron
Abdurrahman Wahid's bid to regain power.

Hamzah officially announced on Thursday his readiness to
contest the party chairmanship for the second successive term.

He said his decision to join the race came after many
provincial chapters and influential ulema expressed their support
for his leadership.

The veteran politician hails from Nahdlatul Ulama, an
influential faction within the party, and is largely supported by
the old generation.

PPP brought forward its congress to elect its chairman one
year from its initial schedule in 2004, following pressure from
young cadres.

Meanwhile, Hamzah's lone rival Bachtiar Chamsyah maintained
that he would not throw in the towel until the election on
Friday.

Ali Hardi Kyai Demak, one of Bachtiar's close aides, claimed
that Bachtiar, who comes from the Muslimin Indonesia faction, was
supported by 70 percent of both the party's chapters and
branches.

In a separate development, both Hamzah and Bachtiar picked
their own team of selectors, who will elect the chairman on
Friday.

The seven-member selection committee will be elected by the
party's chapters, branches and executive board. Thirty votes are
allotted for the chapters, 404 for the branches and one vote for
the central board.