Suharto's plea fails to halt PDI enmity

Suharto's plea fails to halt PDI enmity

SURABAYA (JP): The enmity dividing Indonesian Democratic Party
(PDI) leaders in East Java remained as bitter as ever yesterday
despite President Soeharto's call for reconciliation.

Sutjipto and Latief Pudjosakti both fiercely maintained their
claim that they were the legitimate chief of the party's East
Java chapter.

In separate interviews with The Jakarta Post, they welcomed
the President's appeal but were divided on how their differences
should be narrowed.

President Soeharto said on Thursday that the conflicting camps
in PDI should put the nation's interests above their personal
ambition, to solve the leadership rift once and for all.

Sutjipto, who was appointed by the PDI central executive board
chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri in 1994, insisted that the
President's statement also means that East Java Governor Basofi
Soedirman should stop meddling in the party's internal affairs.

"I believe that the President really wants to see the PDI
conflict resolved soon," Sutjipto said.

The PDI central executive board has insisted that the East
Java party chapter has no problem because it has appointed
Sutjipto and fired Latief.

Latief, a staunch opponent of Megawati and who has headed the
East Java chapter, has refused to step down on the grounds that
he was legally re-appointed by a majority of the eight-member
electoral board formed by the 1994 congress.

The dual leadership has prompted the governor to exclude the
PDI from the provincial electoral committee, a move that has
enraged PDI activists and sympathizers.

Latief said PDI executives should heed the President's advice.

"They should learn to listen to others. I can't understand why
they keep turning down our offer for reconciliatory talks," he
said.

He accused the party's leaders in Jakarta of being
authoritarian when they dismissed local party members who opposed
their policies.

In his opinion, Governor Basofi Soedirman's refusal to
recognize him or Sutjipto shows that the official is a wise man
who considers carefully all aspects of an issue before making a
decision.

In Jakarta, legislator Aberson Marle Sihaloho flatly rejected
President Soeharto's statement.

He charged that the President, Minister of Home Affairs Moch.
Yogie S.M. and Governor Basofi have boldly intervened in the
PDI's internal affairs by refusing to recognize Sutjipto.

"The PDI executive board has the ultimate authority in the
party," he told the Post. "The officials should stop poking their
noses in under the pretext that they are patrons of political
development."

Governor Basofi in Surabaya said yesterday that he will allow
PDI branches in regencies across East Java to have their
representatives on the regency electoral committees.

He reaffirmed his recognition of the party regency leaders who
have been fired by Megawati for disloyalty.

"At the regency level, it's business as usual. How can they
(PDI central executives) claim to be democratic if they sack
anyone who does not agree with their policies?" he was quoted by
Antara as saying.

Basofi yesterday installed members of the regency electoral
board from the three political organizations to contest next
year's general election: Golkar, PDI and the United Development
Party (PPP). (15/pan)