Govt insists PKB settle dispute before 2004 election<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Securing the recognition of the People's Consultative Assembly
\n(MPR) for its position there does not mean that the Alwi Shihab-
\nled National Awakening Party (PKB) will automatically receive
\nsome Rp 14 billion (US$1.4 million) in government aid for the
\n2004 general election, a minister said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno suggested that both
\nAlwi's PKB and the splinter PKB faction, led by Minister of
\nDefense Matori Abdul Djalil, should settle their dispute in court
\nfirst before the government would decide on which was lawfully
\nentitled to the money.<\/p>\n
"I have frequently suggested that Alwi and Matori settle their
\ndispute in court so that we (the government) will have a legal
\nbasis for deciding which camp has the legitimate right to use the
\nparty's current attributes and symbols," Hari told a media
\nbriefing at his office.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, most MPR leaders supported the appointment of
\nCholil Bisri as an MPR deputy speaker to replace Matori. They
\nwere MPR Speaker Amien Rais and his deputies -- Lt. Gen. Agus
\nWidjojo of the Indonesian Military (TNI)\/Police faction,
\nGinandjar Kartasasmita of the Golkar faction, Yusuf Amir Faisal
\nof the Crescent Star Party (PBB) faction, and Nazri Adlani of the
\nInterest Group faction. Meanwhile, Sutjipto of the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction, as well as
\nMuhammad Husni Thamrin of the United Development Party (PPP)
\nfaction, failed to show up for the meeting.<\/p>\n
The PKB's internal dispute began last July when then president
\nAbdurrahman Wahid, who is also the chairman of the PKB's advisory
\nboard, unilaterally dismissed Matori as the party's chairman and
\nappointed Alwi as his replacement after Matori had attended the
\nSpecial Session of the MPR which removed Abdurrahman from the
\npresidency. The Assembly then appointed his deputy Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri as president.<\/p>\n
Matori has insisted that he is the legitimate party chairman
\nand repeatedly challenged Abdurrahman's decision, saying that the
\nauthority to appoint and replace a party chairman rested with the
\nparty's quinquennial congress, or an extraordinary congress.<\/p>\n
The leadership dispute led to the MPR deputy speakership that
\nwas originally held by Matori remaining vacant following his
\nappointment as defense minister in Megawati's Cabinet last
\nAugust.<\/p>\n
A similar opinion to Hari's was expressed by the chairman of
\nthe General Elections Commission (KPU), Nazaruddin Syamsuddin,
\nwho said that the Commission would declare both camps ineligible
\nto participate in the 2004 election if the dispute remained
\nunresolved.<\/p>\n
"If both sides register for the 2004 election with the same
\nname, as well as attributes and symbols, we will disqualify them
\nas no party clones are allowed to participate in the election,"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Amien Rais expected that the PDI Perjuangan faction
\nwould accept the nomination of Cholil as the MPR deputy speaker.<\/p>\n
"Most MPR leaders have approved the nomination of Cholil. I
\nhope he (Sutjipto) will respect it," Amien told the media.<\/p>\n
Amien, however, revealed that soon after the Assembly leaders
\nannounced their support for Cholil, Matori, who was on an
\nofficial U.S. visit, expressed his dissatisfaction by sending him
\na text message.<\/p>\n
"Last night (Tuesday night), Pak Matori sent me a text message
\nexpressing his surprise at the decision," Amien said.<\/p>\n
An official from Alwi's PKB, Khofifah Indar Parawansa, asked
\nthe government on Wednesday to issue a Presidential Decree
\nauthorizing the appointment of Cholil as the MPR deputy speaker.<\/p>\n
"If the leaders of this country are realistic about what's
\nhappening, then the Presidential Decree should be issued,"
\nKhofifah said after meeting Vice President Hamzah Haz on
\nWednesday.<\/p>",
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