Splinter PPP group plans to meet soon

JAKARTA: A splinter group within the United Development Party (PPP) plans to hold a congress in May or June in a bid to end internal conflict within the country's largest Mulim-based political party and to select a new leadership.

"The conflict has already reached an alarming level ... so we have decided to hold a congress either in May or June 2005," group member Fachrurrozi Izhak said on Thursday.

He said party senior executive Suryadharma Ali, who had been discharged by party leader Hamzah Haz, will set up an organizing committee for the congress.

Suryadharma was among five party executives dismissed recently by Hamzah for participating in a national gathering aimed at unseating the party leader, who is blamed by many young members for the party's dismal performance during the previous general election.

While the party is scheduled to hold a national congress in 2007, some members have demanded another meeting this year so a new leadership had plenty of time to prepare for the 2009 general election. -- JP