Semarang – Indonesian Vice-President Megawati Sukarnoputri has announced a new line-up for the executive board of her Indonesian Democratic Party Perjuangan but her party members doubt if it will work.

Ms Megawati, who was re-elected chairperson of the PDI-P at the party's congress here last Saturday, also warned party supporters they could not rely on her forever. "All party members must be ready to take over from me. Be an excellent cadre. Who knows, one of you could be nominated to become party chief."

The party's executive board includes five new faces and accommodates different religious groups and regions. The new deputy chairmen are Karel Lukkas Degey from Irian Jaya, Imam Mundjiat from East Kalimantan, Gunawan Wirosaroyo from Central Java and Roy B.B. Janis and Arifin Panigoro, both from Jakarta.

The remaining three deputy chairmen posts went to Mr Kwik Kian Gie, Mr I Gusti Ngurah Sare and Mr Theo Syafei, all of whom were on the old executive board. Mr Sutjipto was appointed party secretary-general, which is seen by many as the second-most strategic and important position in the party.

The deputies to the secretary-general are Mr Mangara Siahaan, a former party deputy chairman; Mr Pramono Anung from Jakarta; Mr Yakobus K.M. Padang, the secretary of the South Sulawesi provincial chapter of the party; and secretary of the party's Jambi provincial chapter Agnita Singadikane. Ms Noviantika Nasution, the party's former deputy treasurer, replaces Mr Laksamana Sukardi as treasurer.

Ms Megawati formed the executive board after winning unanimous support for her re-election as party chief at the PDI-P congress here. The congress previously agreed to allow a system which gave the chairman-elect the power to name the party's executive board. She also attempted to quell the controversy surrounding this system. "I hope my re-election does not pose a threat to the process of democratisation.".

But many party members wondered whether the new executives would be able to cooperate with one another in tackling the challenges of the future. Former deputy chairman Mochtar Buchori said some of the executive members were uneducated cadres and others were Megawati loyalists who lacked the skill to run the party.

"Kwik is the only educated professional. I am sad the management of the party has been entrusted to such uneducated and unprofessional cadres," he said. Another former deputy chairman Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno said that the selection was not based on rational and objective considerations.

Party member and outspoken House of Representatives legislator Aberson Marle Sihaloho said: "I just hope Megawati will be able to work with the unskilled cadres to make PDI-P a modern party."