Supporters stage protest at PDI-P office

JAKARTA (JP): Some 100 supporters of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) protested at the party's headquarters in Lenteng Agung, South Jakarta, on Tuesday afternoon.

Carrying banners and posters, the protesters, who claimed to be party supporters from East Jakarta, strongly urged leaders of the party to immediately fire PDI Perjuangan Jakarta chapter's chairman Roy B.B. Janis and city councilor Maringan Pangaribuan.

According to them, Roy and Maringan were behind the election of Edy Waluyo of the military/police faction as speaker of City Council.

With a megaphone in his hands, rally coordinator Ichwan Amran accused the party's city councilors, who voted for Edy, of having betrayed PDI Perjuangan supporters.

"Not one of the party's supporters were willing to give their votes to any representatives from TNI (military) to lead the council as they have committed too many sins against the people.

"And we know that the (party's) city councilors were instructed by Roy and Maringan to vote for Edy," Ichwan yelled.

Ichwan did not, however, reveal any evidence to support his accusation.

"The party should withdraw Roy as the party's legislative candidate from Jakarta and fire him as the party's Jakarta chief.

"And Maringan should no longer serve as a city councilor," he added.

Not long after, a few of the protesters, including Ichwan, were allowed to meet with PDI Perjuangan's deputy secretary- general Haryanto Taslam.

The meeting took about two minutes, during which Haryanto was only willing to receive a written statement from the protesters, Ichwan said.

"We're treated just like messengers," he said in an unhappy voice.

Edy, who also led the previous council, secured 40 votes for his reelection during voting on Monday last week.

His reelection has sparked controversy since his faction only consists of nine members and did not participate in the June general election.

Tarmidi Suhardjo, a councilor from the PDI Perjuangan faction which consists of 30 members, only secured nine votes. Other candidates, Djafar Badjeber from the United Development Party (PPP) and M. Suwardi from the National Mandate Party (PAN) secured 30 votes and no votes each respectively.

PDI Perjuangan leaders repeatedly explained that their move to give 20 votes in favor of the military was aimed at getting military support for the party in the People's Consultative Assembly's General Session in November.

However, after his inauguration on Monday, Edy strongly denied the allegation, saying that neither himself nor his faction had made any deal with any party for his reelection.

Ichwan said that he did not believe the party's given reason, saying it was just an attempt to fool people.

"If the reason was for the sake of bargaining, so they have shown their inability to lobby members from other parties," he said.

Ichwan said he would mobilize a larger number of protesters if PDI Perjuangan failed to properly respond to their demands. (ind)