A move that began with pressure from several reformists within the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) to replace party functionaries allegedly involved in vote buying is also being seen as a move to weaken and eventually oust President and party chair Megawati Sukarnoputri from the party leadership.
Several PDI-P functionaries held a meeting on 24 July initiated by the party's research and development division led by Kwik Kian Gie. Those attending included Julius Usman, Sophan Sophiaan, Arifin Panigoro, Roy B.B. Janis, Meilono Suwondo, Didi Supriyanto, Sukowaluyo, Candra Wijaya and Noviantika Nasution.
The meeting agreed to urge Megawati as party chair to restructure the central executive board and remove those allegedly involved in vote buying in gubernatorial races in several provinces.
The spirit of the meetings, explained a PDI-P source, maintained the commitment to support Megawati as long as she was also committed to removing Theo Syafei and Agnita Singadikane, suspected of organizing the vote buying. The pair was also alleged to have used the party's authority without the approval of the central executive board.
Outspoken PDI-P legislator Hariyanto Taslam says Syafei's maneuvers were not the result of any agreement with Megawati. "Theo is just smart at taking advantage of the disorganization and the unsystematic work of the central party leadership," Taslam told reporters.
Within the party, the individual most directly blamed for creating disorganization and unsystematic party management is Megawati's husband, Taufik Kiemas.
Pressures within PDI-P to remove Theo and Agnita thus indicates the growing rejection of the PDI-P reformist bloc against maneuvers made independently of party control by the politicians linked to Kiemas.
Unfortunately for the reformists, while Kwik initiated their series of meetings, he did not throw his weight on to their side.
Kwik's problem was that he did not see the reformist move in the context of saving the party as well as Megawati from the machinations of Syafei and Agnita, but saw that the reform push aimed at toppling his old friend Megawati.
If the PDI-P reformist maneuver had been merely for the sake of removing corrupt politicians, Kwik would have had no reason to fear. At least two PDI-P reformists attending the July 24 meeting have direct access to Mega: businessman Arifin Panigoro and Roy B.B. Janis.
Janis is trusted as the leader of the House PDI-P faction, while Panigoro is chair of the PDI-P faction in People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).
Both Janis and Panigoro, though for their own different reasons, are considered as Megawati loyalists who still believe the party is a sound political vehicle to represent her and their own political interests.
A recording of the "reform" meeting was leaked to Megawati that led to the impression that the main goal of the growing pressure to restructure the party central executive board was to weaken the leadership of Megawati.
To outsiders, the two different views of what the meetings aimed for represent the two separate streams in the party. Those attending the meeting are not in line with the gradual change adopted by Panigoro and Janis but took a more radical stance. They also believed that Megawati had to be held responsible for party mismanagement.
Among those attending the July 24 meeting were some who represent an anti-Megawati faction that includes Meilono and Usman. Both are recent converts to PDI-P. Meilono is a former businessman who went into politics when PDI-P was formed in a challenge to Suharto, while Usman made a brave run against Suharto in the 1998 poll as vice presidential candidate to Sri Bintang Pamungkas. Others, including Sukowaluyo, Noviantika Nasution, Didi Supriyanto and actor Sophan Sophiaan, are known to keep a foot on both sides of the dividing line.
In interviews, Meilono Suwondo and Julius Usman have raised the possibility of a PDI-P special national conference to replace Megawati.
In the July meeting, Sophan Sophiaan was suggested as an appropriate caretaker chairman in the run up to the 2004 general elections for having saved the party's image. Kwik immediately saw this as a threat to his leader.
Reports of the meeting say the dale 24 July was deliberately chosen because most Megawati loyalists, including deputy secretary general Pramono Anung, secretary general Sutjipto and central executive board leader Gunawan Wirosaroyo, were sent to Central Java to secure success for incumbent Governor Mardiyanto in the gubernatorial race.
Pressure for the removal of Syafei and Agnita was the camouflage used by rivals to create a power shift within PDI-P.
Kwik Kian Gie's motives remain unclear. The fact that he foiled the meeting does not mean he sits firmly on the side of the pro status quo group in PDI-P.
If anything, his action demonstrates that he remains first and last a supporter of Megawati. At the same time, he represents the 'conscience' of the party, concerned not with a mere appearance of solidity but daring to speak out when it suits him on issues such as corruption in the party.
Janis and Panigoro are likely to be replaced from their positions as DPR and MPR faction leaders.
Reports of the replacements led to speculation that both were seen as involved in the conspiracy against Megawati.
But Pramono Anung told reporters on Friday (15/8/03) that despite the unconfirmed report that Janis would be replaced by Golkar cadre-turned PDI-P politician Cahyo Kumolo, and Panigoro by another former Golkar member, Jakob Tobing, essentially it is just a rotation.
Pramono said the last regular Tuesday PDI-P meeting had confirmed Janis as a senior leader who would be tasked with coordination of election programs in Sumatra.
Janis himself, following the controversy over the 24 July meeting, has been acting as if nothing has happened with Kwik. Reporting on the readiness of PDI-P cadres to work for 2004 election success, he picked out Kwik's willingness to perform in the regions.
"When Pak Kwik was asked by Ibu Mega about his readiness to go to the regions, Pak Kwik immediately said 'yes, I am ready, commander'," said Janis.