TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Issues of the day: Mega gradually losing control of PDI-P
Megawati Soekarnoputri - JP/P
Change Size
Megawati Soekarnoputri - JP/P.J. Leo
April 2, p2
Megawati Soekarnoputri will probably not be facing any opposition at next week's congress for the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), but she has to accommodate a growing consensus in her party that she should share power with younger members of the party during her next five-year term.
A study by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) shows that the daughter of first president Sukarno would not be able to obtain absolute support from local chapter leaders, unlike she had in the past. The study concluded that 31.5 percent of the 467 PDI-P chapter leaders would prefer a new leader, suggesting that Megawati will not win by acclamation, or support from every leader.
'This means the PDI-P is currently far from the former acclamation of Megawati's leadership that
was issued during the party's National Leadership Meeting in September 2014 in Semarang, Central
Java,' CSIS researcher Philips J. Vermonte said in a press conference on Wednesday.
Your comments:
Something with these numbers does not add up; recent surveys showed that Mega would not even get 1 percent of votes for presidency.
Then, how could someone that would not even get 1 percent control the country?
Devineasia
It is unwise for President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo to become PDI-P chairman while he asks people in his administration to stay out of political parties; it will show hypocrisy and inconsistency.
He will lose people's votes if he does it, how can he focus on being a president?
I think Megawati's son will take over eventually. They are looking for the 'Goh Chok Tong' for transition there in my opinion.
H. Cahyadi
Megawati will try to hang on to power till the bitter end. It is amazing how people like Megawati are unable to retire quietly. Enough is enough!
Henry Manoe
Jokowi might be popular with the PDI-P senior members but he has lost his shine with the Indonesian electorate at large.
I doubt he will ever regain their trust again. Even I have taken down his portrait in the office.
Just can't stand his 'story telling' excuses anymore and I am very angry at the loss of clout by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and I blame it all on Jokowi!
Malam
Indonesia has a highly flawed democracy because it is a series of personal fiefdoms inside a democracy. A culture of autocracy and authoritarianism exists within these personal kingdoms.
Megawati rules a PDI-P dynasty and cannot be removed despite repeated electoral failure. That isn't a democracy. Basically, I think it's a badly flawed system that will eventually collapse.
Lasem benny
I am questioning their sampling methods. Indonesia should stop trusting polling centers.
Regulars
You people (commentators) are the exact reason this country continues to stall.
You never snub the system, you just blame the individuals. You expect one person to change the whole thing overnight, and when they don't, you turn your back instead of standing behind them when the need is greatest.
The guy has been in power what like six months and in an environment trying to bring him down from all sides.
Turning your back on him now is turning your back on your country at a real tipping point. Give the bloke a few years to slowly gather some internal support and start making change. Pathetic!
Billly
I'm not convinced that Jokowi has what it takes to be a leader based on what we have been observing
so far.
Talking about family dynasties, Megawati and Puan Maharani are so different from Lee Kuan Yew and Lee Hsien Loong.
Lee Hsien Loong had what it took to follow in his father's footsteps and build on his legacy. Megawati was a half-failure while Puan Maharani is nothing more than 'Megawati's daughter'.
Djay Subianto
This is the most irritating problem in Indonesia. Line of descent is what matters ' a genius from beggar parents has a hard time climbing a social ladder, a moron from a noble family can jump up social levels like a kangaroo.
It doesn't always mean if your parent is a leader that you are destined to be a leader too and there is always a possibility that a peasant child can become a leader.
If this so-called 'dynasty system' keeps going on in Indonesia, then rest assured that this country will never be better and we will be the aftermost country even in Asia.
Nanda Mardas Saputra
