Frantic bid for PKB reconciliation fails<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja Ainur R. Sophiaan, The Jakarta Post, Tuban\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
A last-ditch effort to bring the rival leaders of the National
\nAwakening Party (PKB) to a negotiation table failed on Monday
\nwhen one of the main actors in this play did not show up.<\/p>\n
Matori Abdul Djalil boycotted the much-anticipated meeting
\narranged by influential Muslim clerics from Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)
\nin Langitan village in the East Java town of Tuban, some 100
\nkilometers west of Surabaya.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, Matori, who is also the minister of defense, said
\nhe stayed away from the meeting because he \"was not invited\" and
\nthat he did not see sincerity from his rival, Alwi Shihab, for
\nreconciliation.<\/p>\n
Both Matori and Alwi, the former foreign minister, continue to
\nclaim to be the legitimate chairman of PKB. The party fell into
\ndifferent camps following the fall of its patriarch Abdurrahman
\nWahid from the presidency last July.<\/p>\n
The problem began when Abdurrahman dismissed him for
\nsupporting his impeachment and appointed Alwi as the successor.
\nBut Matori maintains that his dismissal was illegal because only
\na party congress can do it.<\/p>\n
Among the 500 attendants of the meeting designed as an
\ninformal post-Idul Fitri gathering were 20 senior ulemas, such as
\nhost Abdullah Faqih, Fawa'id As'ad of Situbondo, Masduki Mahfudl
\nof Malang, Azis Mashuri of Jombang and Anwar Iskandar of Madiun.<\/p>\n
While PKB officials present were Alwi, co-founder Abdurrahman
\n\"Gus Dur\" Wahid--who remains firmly on Alwi's side--and Yusuf
\nMuhammad. NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi was also there.<\/p>\n
The ulemas said they feared the unresolved conflict would
\nconfuse NU members, which make up the bulk of PKB supporters,
\nabout which camp, Alwi or Matori, they should follow.<\/p>\n
The split of the fourth largest party has raised fear of poor
\nperformances in the 2004 general elections.<\/p>\n
Hasyim said that he would try again to help find the best way
\nto reconcile the two camps. He said that NU would call a meeting
\nof PKB officials from all regencies to discuss ways to end the
\nconflict on Wednesday this week in Jakarta. \"The conflict has
\ntarnished NU,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Matori plans to hold his own party congress on Jan. 14 in
\nJakarta and the Alwi-Gus Dur camp will hold the PKB congress on
\nJan. 17 in Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman met with 20 ulemas behind closed doors on the
\nsidelines of the event in Langitan. Reliable sources told The
\nJakarta Post that he expressed concern over the relatively large
\nnumber of ulemas that had lent their support to Matori covertly
\nor otherwise.<\/p>\n
He declined to comment on what they discussed as did Alwi.
\nAlwi said that he would go ahead with his plan to hold the
\ncongress in Yogyakarta from Jan. 17 to Jan. 19.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, Matori met with Vice President Hamzah Haz, whom he
\nclaimed would close his congress in Jakarta on Jan. 16 as a token
\nof the government's support for his version of PKB.<\/p>\n
Earlier, he had said Megawati had promised to open his
\ncongress.<\/p>\n
His strong position in the PKB internal conflict has raised
\nquestions as to where and how Matori gained political and
\nfinancial support.<\/p>\n
Political observer Laode Ida stated in Jakarta on Monday that
\nMatori receives his funding from President Megawati in exchange
\nfor his support for her.<\/p>\n
Laode claimed he received the information from both Matori and
\nAlwi camps.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/frantic-bid-for-pkb-reconciliation-fails-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}