Splinter group to declare PPP Reformasi soon
Splinter group to declare PPP Reformasi soon
Abu Hanifah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Muslim-based United Development Party (PPP) led by Vice
President Hamzah Haz is on the brink of splitting in two.
Younger activists are working toward a congress on Jan. 14,
2002 where they are expected to formally break away and form the
United Development Party of Reform (PPP Reformasi).
They claimed on Friday that more party activists from across
Indonesia would join the splinter party to be lead by Zainuddin
MZ, a famous preacher.
"He is ready to lead the party. In our latest meeting on
Wednesday night, he ordered us to take the 'constitutional' way
if the PPP central board failed to comply with our demands," said
Zainal who has just resigned as deputy leader of the PPP's
Surakata branch.
The younger PPP activists have demanded that Hamzah hold a
national party congress on schedule in 2003 as the Party's
constitution requires regeneration.
The reform-minded activists say the PPP has been overly
conservative because it has been dominated by elderly leaders
while rival parties have refocused toward winning younger voters.
Their demand for a congress in 2003 has been turned down. Pro-
Hamzah party officials have insisted that the conference will not
take place until 2004. Observers say that it is the party's
tactic to exploit Hamzah's position as vice president to attract
votes.
The disaffected say that as the latest congress took place in
1998 the next should be in 2003 because the PPP constitution
requires that the congress be held every five years.
Zainal said that during a meeting with Zainuddin in Jakarta on
Wednesday, it issued an option for the PPP central board to
convene a congress in 2003 or the party would break up.
Another PPP Reformasi initiator, Dja'far Badjeber, said that
the formation of PPP Reformasi would be declared on Jan. 14 at
Bung Karno Sports Stadium in Jakarta.
Dja'far said that there were at least ten officials on the PPP
board of executives who had switched sides. Their seniority
ranged from party activists to a department chief, he claimed.
Nasir Tamara, Ahmad Muqowam and M. Roja were the most senior
members to join PPP Reformasi, according to Dja'far.
The PPP Reformasi is said to have the support of disgruntled
PPP officials in 29 provincial chapters.
The internal dispute started in October after the PPP central
board agreed to a recommendation that the next national congress
be held in 2004, a few months ahead of the general election.
The decision was lambasted by young cadres in the party who
suspected that the central board officials had their own agenda.
Pro-Hamzah PPP central board member Zein Badjeber said that
the central board of executives was flexible about the date of
national congress.
"We decided to move the date to 2004 with the consideration
that the congress will be able to prepare itself better for the
2004 election," Zein told the Post.
Zein acknowledged that the incumbent central board was elected
during the 1998 congress and their term of service would end in
2003. But he argued that their tenure could be extended to
facilitate preparations for the general election.