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Jakarta Post

Moeldoko splits Dems, challenges SBY

Budi Sutrisno and Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta/Sibolangit, North Sumatra
Sat, March 6, 2021

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Moeldoko splits Dems, challenges SBY

T

he political turmoil rocking the Democratic Party has morphed into a showdown between two former military generals: former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) and Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko, who now claims to be the legitimate leader of the nation’s largest opposition party.

Moeldoko, who served as the Indonesian Military commander during the latter days of Yudhoyono’s presidency, was elected party leader by senior Democratic Party members opposed to the leadership of Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, who has — at least until recently — represented the Yudhoyono clan’s stranglehold on the party.

The anti-SBY camp held an extraordinary congress at a hotel in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra, on Friday, confirming allegations made by Democratic Party executive Andi Arief, a Yudhoyono loyalist, in a series of tweets on Thursday, shortly before his Twitter account was hacked by an unidentified party. The newly formed splinter group claimed the congress had secured the support of 1,200 Democratic Party delegates from across the country, though it remains unclear just how many were actually in attendance on Friday.

The congress lasted less than an hour, during which participants were asked to choose between Moeldoko and former secretary-general Marzuki Alie, who is said to have also vied for the chairmanship. Moeldoko was not present when the congress — which the pro-Yudhoyono camp insists has no legitimacy — decided to elect him the new party leader. In another bizarre move, Moeldoko accepted the decision by telephone.

“Because you are determined, I accept this election,” he said.

The former general, who initially denied involvement in any attempts to take over the party leadership from Agus, also told the congress that he would “build the party and uphold his commitment to the nation and state without personal interests”.

Read also: Revolt brews in Democratic Party against Yudhoyono ‘dynasty’

Moeldoko’s election as party chairman by the Deli Serdang congress has in effect created a dual leadership structure within the party, placing him in a political showdown with former president Yudhoyono, who now serves as chairman of the party’s high council. The council is the most powerful institution within the party and has allowed the former president to retain his political ascendancy and guide his political heir, Agus.

In a clear challenge against SBY, the newly formed Democratic Party leadership is expected to propose that the party’s high council be abolished. Jhoni Allen Marbun, a key figure within the anti-SBY camp, argued that the council had curtailed the political rights of party chapters in the regions, with the council having the final say over party decisions.

The Yudhoyono camp has denounced the Deli Serdang congress as “illegal” and “unconstitutional” as no party executives with voting rights were in attendance.

“I cannot accept this. I assure you, we will fight,” Agus said. “We have evidence that the majority of the party’s executives were still in their respective regions.”

Agus’ supporters in North Sumatra attempted to disperse the congress but failed to reach the venue because of a roadblock created by a group of unidentified people, some of whom were reportedly wearing the uniform of the Pancasila Youth (PP) mass organization. The incident is believed to have led to a violent clash at a nearby gas station, footage of which has circulated online.

Read also: Indonesian democracy needs diverse opposition

“The congress was illegal because it was organized by people who had been fired by the Democratic Party. Apart from that, they did not get permission from the police,” said North Sumatra Democratic Party regional leadership board (DPD) acting chairman Herri Zulkarnain.

Responding to the opposition of local party members, Max Sopacua, another senior Democrat, said Yudhoyono’s followers were entitled to their own opinion.

“They have the authority because they are in this area. However, [the congress] was in accordance with prevailing [party] laws; we have permission,” Max told reporters.

The incident has raised concerns among political observers, given that it is not the first time a political figure close to the government has split a political party and eventually taken over. A similar strategy is reported to have been used to divide the Golkar Party, the United Development Party (PPP) and the National Mandate Party (PAN).

“From a legal perspective, the extraordinary congress is illegal as it violates the Democratic Party’s constitution, but I suspect that its results will end up being deliberated by the Law and Human Rights Ministry,” political analyst Ujang Komarudin told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

This is problematic and could undermine democracy in the country, he added.

Read also: Berkarya infighting narrows space for opposition in Indonesia's politics

Should the government recognize the result of the Deli Serdang congress, the party would by default become part of the ruling coalition, with Moeldoko still serving as the presidential chief of staff. This would leave the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) as the last remaining opposition party, as PAN has publicly declared that it is neither against nor for the government.

The pro-SBY Democrats have appealed to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to intervene and reject the result of the Deli Serdang congress. They believe that Moeldoko acted on his own, accusing the presidential chief of staff and former deputy chief patron of the Hanura Party of using their party for his own presidential ambitions.

“I’m asking the state and state [institutions] not to turn a blind eye to the illegal activities committed by Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko to divide the Democratic Party,” Agus said.

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