Yusril reelection causes split in PBB

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)