Yusril reelection causes split in PBB

JAKARTA (JP): The re-election of Yusril Ihza Mahendra as Crescent Star Party (PBB) chairman has brought about a split within the party.

Sixteen senior members said they would reject the results of the congress and hold a separate special congress of their own.

Hartono Mardjono, representing the 16 detractors, all of whom were previously party executives, said another congress would be held in accordance with the party's statute.

"We are in the preparation stage. We will invite the executive board members and all functionaries from provincial chapters and branches," he told journalists here on Monday.

Hartono further claimed that the executive board -- established when the party was declared in 1998 -- is still valid.

So far no date has been set for the special congress.

Hartono, known as a moderate figure in the party, said he sided with the dissident group because he could not agree with the violations against internal rulings during the congress which ended on Monday.

"According to the party's statute, the first congress should be held in 2004," he pointed out.

"The executive board has never held an official meeting agreeing to hold congress ahead of schedule."

Money

Hartono even revealed that Yusril accepted a total of Rp 1.5 billion from former president B.J. Habibie but has kept most of the executive board in the dark about it.

"He (Yusril) accepted donations from Habibie twice, Rp 1 billion for the party's national meeting in February 1999, and Rp 500 million for the general election in July 1999," he said.

Yusril has acknowledged that he accepted Rp 1 billion from the former president but contended that he did nothing wrong as regulations against such donations were only issued after he had received the money.

Abdul Qodir Djailani, a party deputy chairman, accused the pro-Yusril supporters of engineering the congress to their own advantage.

"Yusril and the congress' organizing and steering committees did nothing to prevent the presence of 60 thugs equipped with machetes in the congress. Despite not being invited, they were able to take part in the congress with an official card," he said, claiming that the thugs were financed by Niko Lumanauw, Yusril's close friend in West Java.

Asked to comment on the split in the party, Yusril, who was re-elected as chairman and given 30 days to form a new executive board, said he regretted it.

Yusril called on all sides defeated in the congress to be "democratic" by accepting and respecting the results of the congress.

"We should learn to accept our losses and respect the other's victory," he said. (rms/dja)