Yogie to keep hands off PPP congress

Yogie to keep hands off PPP congress

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M.
promised yesterday that the government would stay out of the
contest for leadership of the United Development Party (PPP)
which will take place at its congress in Jakarta in late August.

Yogie, however, urged the Moslem-based party to make sure that
they could elect their chairman in just one congress and not let
the issue drag on, as occurred with the Indonesian Democratic
Party (PDI) last year.

With the PPP congress nearing, the government's position
regarding the leadership contest in the party becomes vital.
However, government officials have resisted pressures to be
dragged into the battle.

Yogie told reporters yesterday that the government felt that
the party is mature enough to decide what was best for them.

"Why should we interfere in the congress?" he asked. "They
(PPP leaders) are adults and they are also kyai (religious
leaders)," he told reporters.

Yogie said the government's only "interference" would be in
providing part of the funds necessary for the party to stage the
congress and in providing the manpower to ensure security.

"The government has never had any intention of interfering,"
he said, adding that the government would maintain a low profile
while monitoring closely the congress proceedings.

The congress, however, is haunted by the past experiences of
both the PPP and PDI congresses, when the government's hand in
selection was very visible.

Five years ago, Ismail Hasan Metareum was elected as chairman
to replace the incumbent, and also more popular, Jaelani Naro,
after the government intervened.

The PDI had to stage three congresses last year before
deciding on Megawati Soekarnoputri, the daughter of former
president Sukarno, as their leader. This move was in direct
opposition to the government's efforts to push for its own
candidate right up to the last minute.

PPP's congress, slated to begin on Aug. 28, will be opened by
President Soeharto.

Tacit support

The incumbent Ismail Hasan is seen as a strong candidate to
retain his post, counting on the support chiefly from his own
handpicked leaders of the party's provincial boards. Some suggest
that he also has the tacit support of the government.

However, politicians identified with the Nahdlatul Ulama, by
far the largest faction in the PPP, have vowed to wrest the
party's leadership.

They are currently preparing a number of their own candidates,
including the popular and widely respected Jusuf Hasjim and
Matori Abdul Jalil, the current PPP secretary general.

There are also increasing pressures from within the party to
elect a more popular figure, to match the charisma of Megawati of
the PDI -- a move which they say is vital if PPP is to retain its
second position at the next general election in 1997. The
leadership of Ismail Hasan, while considered successful, has been
too conservative for many PPP members.

Organizers of the congress estimate that the party needs Rp
1.5 billion to stage the gathering and so far they have raised
only Rp 200 million, including Rp 10 million chipped in by the
government. (par)