T

he Democratic Party has sunk into a deeper crisis as rumors intensified over the weekend that rivals of party chairman Anas Urbaningrum were scheming to orchestrate his ouster following the graft scandal involving former party treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin.

A text message containing an appeal for affirmative measures to save the ruling Democratic Party, which is currently under scrutiny over corruption allegations lodged against several high-ranking party officials, was sent by House of Representatives speaker Marzuki Alie to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Yudhoyono, Indonesia’s sixth president, is chairman of the party’s advisory board. Marzuki is deputy chairman. The message was sent to Yudhoyono and was also forwarded to other board members.

Marzuki confirmed Saturday that he had sent the text message to the President in relation to the rift between Democratic Party members after its former treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin prompted a series of accusations through text and Blackberry messages from Singapore following the antigraft body’s investigation into his involvement in a bribery case.

However, he denied the allegation that he did so to unseat party chairman Anas Urbaningrum.

“This is neither to degrade the party’s central board nor Anas Urbaningrum [the party chairman],” said Marzuki. “This is to strengthen the party by affirmative action from the advisory board chairman and to take action against those who violated the central board’s orders or instructions.”

Below is the message from Marzuki to the President and members of the advisory board:

“Dear advisory board chairman/Bapak SBY, at this moment I am in Russia to fulfill the country’s parliamentary invitation. Tonight, I received many text messages about Ruhut [Sitompul], Denny Kailimang, Amir Syamsuddin, who discredited each other during the Jakarta Lawyers’ Club on TVOne. It was not the first time the party’s board members have attacked each other.

“It seems that the party’s management is no longer effective. Whatever the central board orders, it is all about leadership. The situation is dire; we will also be affected if we do not care about the current situation. I personally, and as advisory board deputy chairman, do not want to take part in the operational matters of the Democratic Party’s central board. However, if we let this happen, we degrade ourselves every day by mass media provocation and we will head to destruction. Advisory board chairman, please take affirmative action to save the party.”

Ruhut told The Jakarta Post on Saturday he doubted the message came from Marzuki.

He also played down rumors of an attempt to unseat Anas. “I don’t think there is such a plan. We were taught to be ready to win or lose fairly.”

Anas was elected chairman in the party’s national congress in Bandung, West Java, last year in May. His rivals for the position were Youth and Sports Minister Andi Mallarangeng and Marzuki himself.

During the first round, Anas secured 239 votes, or 45 percent, Marzuki 209, 40 percent, and Andi 82 votes, 15 percent. During the second round, it was reported that Andi made an agreement with Marzuki to persuade his voters to vote for Marzuki. Andi’s 82 votes, however, were apparently split. Anas won the second round with 280 votes. Marzuki came second with 246.

The party is scheduled to hold a national coordination meeting in the upcoming weeks. Both Ruhut
and Amir previously have said that the meeting would likely also discuss the circumstances surrounding Nazaruddin, whom the party is set to oust.

Amid the growing threat of the fall of the ruling party over corruption allegations, Nazaruddin’s colleague at the House’s Commission III overseeing legal affairs, Martin Hutabarat from the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), said that Nazaruddin would return to Indonesia before the fasting month of Ramadhan begins.

Nazaruddin’s lawyer OC Kaligis had previously said that a political move could silence his client if he returned home to submit to interrogations by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) over at least two suspicious procurement projects at the Youth and Sports Ministry involving suspect-at-large Nazaruddin and the Education Ministry.

Nazaruddin fled to Singapore a day before a ban on his overseas travel went into effect. Singaporean authorities reported this week that Nazaruddin had fled the country. His present whereabouts are unknown. (fem)