PDI-P Technical Guidance Concludes, Participants and Elites Remain in Bali, Will the Congress Continue?

NUSA DUA, KOMPAS – After the technical guidance activities for members of the DPR/DPRD from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle or PDI-P concluded, the participants of the guidance remained in Bali.

Their actions again speculate that the VI Congress of PDI-P will be held soon. The agenda is expected to merely reaffirm Megawati Soekarnoputri as the chairperson and establish the party's stance as a constructive partner of the government.

The technical guidance activities attended by 3,218 members of the DPR/DPRD from the PDI-P faction at the Bali Beach Convention Center, Denpasar, were completed on Wednesday (30/7/2025) evening. Secretariat staff responsible for participant registration were seen beginning to leave the hotel after breakfast on Thursday (31/7/2025).

However, several PDI-P DPP officials, as well as participants in the technical guidance, did not return home, but instead moved to accommodations in the Nusa Dua area, approximately 22 kilometers from the training location. Kompas even encountered several PDI-P elites having lunch at the Bali Collection area, not far from the party's national consolidation site.

Not only that, along the road in the Bali Collection area, yellow coconut leaves with a small PDI-P logo can be seen decorating the location.

Based on information gathered by Kompas, most of the cadres in Nusa Dua are voting rights holders in the PDI-P Congress, namely the Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer of the Regional Executive Board (provincial level) and the Branch Executive Board (district and city).

However, there has been no official announcement regarding the schedule or exact location for the highest forum in the party.

The Chairman of the DPP PDI-P, Deddy Yevri Sitorus, acknowledged that there are still cadres remaining in Bali after the training session concluded. However, he was reluctant to confirm whether their presence is related to the congress agenda.

"Yes, right, it's a shame to be in Bali for just one day, there are surely still those who bring their families. Imagine people from Papua, Kaltara (North Kalimantan), returning home in one day, it would be wasteful. So, there are still many here," said Deddy jokingly in the Nusa Dua area.

Nevertheless, he did not rule out the possibility of the congress being held in the near future, but requested all parties to wait for an official announcement. "Whenever it is determined, that will be the time. Let us all wait together," he stated.

On Wednesday, after providing guidance at the opening of the technical training event, the Chairperson of the DPP PDI-P, Puan Maharani, signaled that the congress will be held as soon as the technical training activities are completed. "God willing, after the technical training, we will have news (about the congress schedule)," she stated.

Initially, the PDI-P planned to hold a congress in April 2025. However, internal dynamics have caused its implementation to be postponed. In addition to appointing a chairman, the congress will also serve as a forum to discuss the party's political stance and position moving forward.

The Chairperson of the DPP PDI-P, Djarot Saiful Hidayat, stated that the party congress is merely to confirm Megawati's return as the Chairperson of PDI-P.

"I have always stated that the grassroots desire for the chairperson to remain Mrs. Megawati Soekarnoputri, so the congress only needs to affirm her as the chairperson and grant her full authority to organize the DPP management for the 2025–2030 period," he said.

Meanwhile, regarding the party's stance on the Prabowo Subianto administration, the Chairman of the DPP PDI-P, Said Abdullah, explained that in principle, all PDI-P cadres will be united under the leadership of Megawati.

The agenda of the technical training is solely aimed at strengthening the role of PDI-P cadres in the legislature to be more productive in carrying out budgetary, supervisory, and legislative functions.

"This training translates the directives of the Chairperson, so that the cadres of PDI Perjuangan in the legislature can be more productive, possessing adequate legislative knowledge in explaining budget functions, oversight, and legislation. With good capabilities, it is hoped that they can become productive partners of the government at both the regional and central levels in carrying out development tasks," said Said.

He added that this position does not mean that PDI-P is becoming the opposition. According to Said, as emphasized by Megawati, the Indonesian constitutional system does not recognize opposition, but rather constructive partners for the government at both the central and regional levels.

"On the other hand, the government under the leadership of President Prabowo welcomes the position of PDI Perjuangan as a constructive partner of the government, becoming a good political sibling. As stated by the President, PDI Perjuangan and Gerindra have a relationship akin to that of siblings, and we affirm and welcome this," said Said.