Amy Chew, Jakarta – Indonesian opposition figure Megawati Sukarnoputri will tell supporters to occupy parliament if the government does not endorse her as legitimate leader of the minority Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) by November, a senior PDI official said on Tuesday.

"She will instruct all her members to occupy the parliament building if we (Megawati's PDI faction) are not given the right to sit in the coming special session of the People's Consultative Assembly," said Alex Littay, the former secretary-general of PDI.

Megawati, daughter of Indonesia's late founding president Sukarno, was ousted as leader of the PDI two years ago by a government-backed faction headed by deputy parliamentary speaker Surjadi. However, she retains significant popular support and still draws huge crowds to her public events.

The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) – the country's top constitutional body – is due to hold a special session on November 10 to set a date for general elections after Suharto quit as president on May 21.

There are currently only three legal parties in Indonesia – the ruling Golkar, the Christian-Nationalist PDI and the Moslem oriented United Development Party (PPP) – which sit in the MPR along with representatives from the military and other members appointed by the government.

Littay said President B.J. Habibie, who replaced Suharto after riots and mounting demands for political reform, appeared to be at a loss over how to resolve the PDI issue. "He (Habibie) is still confused but there should be no confusion. It's very simple, just recognise (Megawati). The government should resolve this issue as soon as possible, before the convening of the special session of MPR," he said.

He said Megawati's supporters had already occupied about 90 percent of the 310 PDI offices around the country over the past two months. The rival PDI group sparked mass riots in Jakarta when they evicted Megawati supporters from the main party headquarters on July 27, 1996, with official backing. At least five people died in the disturbances. Littay said Megawati supporters had not so far reoccupied the main headquarters to avoid any trouble like the riots in May that helped bring Suharto down.

Littay said her followers would mark the anniversary of the July 27 incident with speeches at a football stadium in central Jakarta. "We have received permission from the police to hold such an event. It will be restricted to 5,000 PDI members only. All PDI members will strive to prevent any trouble," he said.