Soerjadi told to quit election campaigning

Soerjadi told to quit election campaigning

JAKARTA (JP): Legislators loyal to the Indonesian Democratic
Party's (PDI) deposed leader, Megawati Soekarnoputri, called on
her rival, government-backed faction yesterday to stop
campaigning because it did not represent the party.

They said that Soerjadi, the government-recognized PDI leader,
had turned out to be unpopular.

The legislators wanted to file a petition with House Speaker
Wahono, but he refused to meet them. Journalists then saw Wahono
sneaking out of the back door of his office.

The legislators submitted their petition to his secretary.

"The PDI leadership under Surjadi has obviously failed to gain
public support," said the petition signed by 17 PDI members of
the House of Representatives.

The legislators said that Soerjadi's faction had failed to
campaign in many cities because local PDI supporters rejected his
leadership.

"At each election rally held by Soerjadi, only several
hundreds or as few as dozens of people attended. Sometimes,
security officers outnumbered the rally participants," their
statement said.

Megawati, who was replaced by Soerjadi in a breakaway congress
last year, claims she remains the party's legitimate leader. She
has told her supporters not to campaign.

Elected PDI chairwoman by party supporters in 1993, Megawati
has been barred from standing for election because the government
no longer recognizes her as the party's leader.

In many towns in Java, Megawati supporters have disrupted
rallies held by Soerjadi's faction. They have physically attacked
participants and removed flags at the rallies.

Soerjadi, the obvious target of frustrated Megawati loyalists,
has to worry about security so much that he has had to keep his
campaign schedule secret until shortly before appearing at
rallies.

The legislators said Soerjadi's faction had failed to reach
its target for the number of participants at rallies.

"The Soerjadi faction has failed to win the people's hearts
and accommodate their aspirations," the statement said.

The legislators warned that Soerjadi's campaign could
undermine national stability unless the government stopped it.

Recently, Megawati supporters in Java have lent their support
to the Moslem-based United Development Party (PPP).

Scores of people loyal to Megawati, the eldest daughter of
first president Sukarno, were seen at PPP rallies in Jakarta
Thursday, suggesting an alliance was taking shape.

In an obvious move toward an alliance, PPP Surakarta branch
chairman Mudrick Setiawan Sangidoe personally asked Megawati to
give "her blessings" to a request by 1,000 of her supporters in
Surakarta who wanted to vote for the PPP in the May 29 election.
(imn)