Power Play inside the PPP

The deadline had passed. Yet the fate of the United Development Party (PPP) Congress, which should have been held this month, was still uncertain. Barlianta Harahap, chairman of the party's council of experts, had begun to feel restless. "I contacted several executives but there has been no explanation yet," he said on Thursday last week.

Barlianta had text messaged PPP Secretary-General Romahurmuziy but received no response. "Usually he replies promptly whenever there is a problem," he said. According to Barlianta, Romahurmuziy had been firm that the congress should take place a month after the July 9 presidential election. Romahurmuziy, chairman of the House of Representatives (DPR) Agriculture Commission, was the driving force behind the move to hold the congress earlier than normal.