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HIPMI congress ends in deadlock
The national congress of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (HIPMI) in Bandung, West Java, was suspended in chaos on its last day on Wednesday
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T
he national congress of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (HIPMI) in Bandung, West Java, was suspended in chaos on its last day on Wednesday.
Supporters of candidates for HIPMI chairperson reportedly were fighting each other and throwing chairs at the meeting venue.
However, congress steering committee chairman Alex Yahya Datu said the plenary session had been halted because some scheduled items had been delayed and the meeting had exceeded the hotel reservation time.
'That's why we suspended the congress until an undetermined time,' said Alex, adding that the suspension took place as the meeting was about to discuss the organization's articles of association.
The congress reportedly had been marred with chaos from the beginning. Alex confirmed this, calling it organization dynamics.
He noted there were at least 10 issues subject to discussion at the congress but declined to mention which had triggered heated arguments among the 3,000 participants.
With the suspension, no new chairman was elected for the organization, which was established in 1972 and has some 35,000 members at present.
The congress was initially intended to elect a new chairman from several candidates, namely businessman and car racer Andhika Anindyaguna 'Bagoes' Hermanto, Papua-born Bahlil Lahadalia and chairman of Blue Bird Holding Bayu Priawan Djokosoetono.
With the deadlock, the organization leadership is in the hands of the five leaders of the congress.
'We were given six months to finish this, but hopefully we won't need that long,' Alex said.
Outgoing HIPMI chairman Raja Sapta Oktohari said the agenda was divided into four sessions: the congress code of conduct and meeting schedule, the accountability report, articles of association and the election of a new chairman.
Oktohari expressed hope that the leaders would decide to continue the congress soon. 'I suggest it is continued in Jakarta, or at the HIPMI central executive board's office,' he said.
