SI, Perti leery on factional conflicts in PPP

SI, Perti leery on factional conflicts in PPP

JAKARTA (JP): Sarekat Islam (SI) and Perti, two minority
factions in the United Development Party (PPP), say they are
concerned that the party is veering back toward factional
conflicts in anticipation of a national congress to elect the
party's leaders.

The two factions have been caught in the midst of a stiff
battle between the Muslimin Indonesia (MI) and the Nahdlatul
Ulama (NU) for the right to lead the Moslem-based party.

SI secretary general Ali Hamzah Sanusi told The Jakarta Post
yesterday it is high time that the party's unity be a top
priority because many PPP leaders still cling to the factions
they originally came from.

Unity among Moslems was the goal in establishing SI in 1911,
he said adding that he believes that the PPP should also aim for
the same goal. He proposed a dialog between the PPP's faction
leaders to reassess the party's objectives and goals.

"It's been a long time since the former parties that are now
factions have held dialogs," he said.

PPP was formed in 1973 through a merger of four Moslem
political parties -- NU, MI, Perti and SI. Despite the merger,
each of the factions has retained its organizational identity and
is pursuing social or economic goals while remaining active in
the PPP.

With the PPP slated to hold its congress in Jakarta, beginning
on Aug. 28, rivalry between the four factions has resurfaced,
particularly between NU and MI, on the question of the party's
leadership.

NU, by far the largest of the factions, is determined to wrest
the leadership from the incumbent chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum,
who hails from NU.

Open party

Hamzah said as far as he is concerned, MI and NU are free to
push their own candidates, but they must have good leadership
qualifications and be able to unite the party's supporters.

Perti's secretary general Ubaidilah Murad said his faction
wants to see PPP grow into a large political organization.

"Conflicts of interest among the factions will only reduce the
party's power," Murad said.

He believes that PPP will never progress if it keeps counting
on the support of the four factions. "PPP should be an open party
which opens its doors to people from outside the four factions."

PPP leaders who rely on the support of their factions will
become factional leaders instead of the party's, he said.

Incumbent chairman Ismail Hasan's strongest contender for the
chairmanship appears to be his own secretary general, Matori
Abdul Djalil, who hails from NU.

Ismail Hasan's leadership for the past five years has been
credited with eliminating the factional bickering that had beset
the party in the past. But with the impending congress, the
division has resurfaced.

Both Perti and SI said they do not have any particular
candidate, stressing that candidates should not be judged in
terms of their factional background but on their ability to unite
and lead the party.

Hamzah said that SI would like to see someone younger and more
progressive at the helm to increase PPP's chances in the next
general election in 1997. "I believe it would be better if PPP
were led by the younger generation."

Hamzah said a man with Ismail Hasan's talents was needed when
the party was in turmoil during the transition from the
leadership of the controversial and flamboyant Jailany Naro. "Now
that the tension is over, he's not the type anymore. We also know
that PPP has lost potential votes in the last general election."

Hamzah acknowledged that it is difficult to find a figure in
PPP who possesses solid political capabilities. For the time
being, he said, PPP only has people with expertise in particular
areas such as giving sermons or in the economy.

Murad said PPP must introduce new programs if it wants to grow
into a bigger party. (par)