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)