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Djan's PPP chairmanship contested, party turmoil continues
Disputed seat: Former United Development Party (PPP) chairman Suryadharma Ali (right) hands over his office to his successor, Djan Faridz, at the partyâs headquarters in Jakarta on Sunday
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span class="caption">Disputed seat: Former United Development Party (PPP) chairman Suryadharma Ali (right) hands over his office to his successor, Djan Faridz, at the party's headquarters in Jakarta on Sunday. The just-ended congress that elected Djan has escalated infighting with a separate party faction that elected M. Romahurmuziy as party chief to replace Suryadharma, who has been named a graft suspect. JP/DON
Resistance to Djan Faridz, the new chairman of a breakaway faction of the United Development Party (PPP), has emerged after a national congress in Jakarta named him to replace Suryadharma Ali, as a range of issues beset the party.
The appointment of Djan, the former public housing minister, has been challenged from both inside and outside the rival faction, as the congress leaders abandoned other chairman candidates on Sunday to unanimously appoint Djan.
'That congress is illegal, therefore Djan Faridz is not a valid chairman of the PPP,' Aunur Rofik, secretary-general of the PPP breakaway faction led by Muhammad 'Romy' Romahurmuziy, told a press conference on Sunday.
He claimed that, unlike the Surabaya congress, which met the quorum to appoint Romy as the new chairman, the Jakarta congress was not attended by a sufficient number of party members to be able to decide anything.
Moreover, Ahmad Yani, a PPP executive who also ran for the chairmanship on Saturday night with Djan, lambasted Djan's appointment, saying the congress was not democratic.
'The regional branch representatives did not have their right to express their opinions. I don't understand why this happened, I just want our chairman to be elected in a democratic process,' Ahmad said after the congress.
Ahmad said further that he was very disappointed and was unsure if Djan could move the party in the right direction. 'We'll see what will happen with the party's future after this congress,' he said.
During Sunday's press conference, Aunur claimed that the Jakarta congress was only attended by six representatives of the party's 33 regional branches and that only 11 party board members from 54 had attended the congress.
'They cannot claim the meeting was a national congress, as it was no more than a reunion of party members,' Aunur said.
'Further, a ministerial decree that acknowledges Romy as PPP chairman is solid proof that we are right,' Aunur added.
Aunur was referring to a ministerial decree issued by new Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly on Oct. 17, which recognized the changes in the structure of the PPP's central board, including Romy's position as party chairman.
The party's central board split into two factions after Suryadharma decided to support defeated presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto and his Red-and-White Coalition ahead of July's presidential election.
Tensions between the two factions increased when Suryadharma's faction failed to secure leadership positions for the party in the House of Representatives and the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).
On Oct. 16, the rival faction appointed PPP secretary-general Romy to become party chairman at a national congress in Surabaya, East Java. The legitimacy of the Surabaya congress and Romy's leadership has also been questioned by internal bodies in the party.
A number of reconciliation attempts to end the party's internal rift have failed.
Fernita Darwis, a Suryadharma loyalist in the PPP, said reconciliation was no longer an option as Romy's camp had not shown good faith to end the dispute. She said her camp had decided to proceed with the legal process instead.
'We have tried to settle it through discussion and reconciliation, but they have no intention to end this. For now, we will wait for the legal process,' Fernita told The Jakarta Post, referring to a lawsuit filed by Suryadharma at the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN), requesting a revocation of the ministerial decree.
Romy previously said he was ready for a legal battle to uphold his chairmanship. (idb)
