PPP to Hold Congress in Surabaya

Jakarta (Antara) - The United Development Party (PPP) plans to hold a congress in Surabaya, East Java Province, on October 15-18 to settle its division and determine its future leadership. The party's Secretary General Muhammad Romahurmuzy said here on Sunday the decision to hold the congress was made at a coordination meeting between regional and central boards here on Saturday, which was attended by party deputy general chairman Emron Pangkapi. The party was divided after its general chairman, Suryadharma Ali, declared support to Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa pair in the presidential election on July 9. Despite joining the coalition to support Prabowo the party however had been given no leadership positions in the House of Representatives that the coalition recently won. The party in the election of leadership of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) later shifted its support to the coalition that supported president-elect Joko Widodo but again it failed to secure a post because the coalition was defeated in the vote. Due to the situation the party now had to decide whether it would remain with the Prabowo-led coalition or join the Joko Widodo-led coalition. Joko Widodo is scheduled to be inaugurated on October 20. Romahurmuzzy said 26 regional boards who attended the coordination meeting on Saturday represented 942 of 1,153 party regional boards who have a right to vote in the congress. He said he believed all regional boards from 33 provinces in the country would come to the congress. The 8th Congress would among others elect a new national board, he said. He said he hoped Suryadharma Ali and his supporters to attend the congress so that division could be settled. "We hope after the congress all differences would be settled," he said. The decision to hold the 8th congress was based upon the decision of the executive board in Jakarta on September 9 which had also nominated Suharso Monoarfa as a steering committee and Romahurmuzy as his secretary. The organizing committee chairman is held by Ahmad Farial while the treasurer is Mahmud Yunus. (*) reporting riza harahap