Tosari named new deputy speaker<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The United Development Party (PPP) deputy
\nchairman Tosari Wijaya has been chosen to replace his party chief
\nHamzah Haz as deputy speaker of the House of Representatives,
\nHouse Speaker Akbar Tandjung said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
\"Tosari will be installed in a plenary session on Dec. 6,\"
\nAkbar said.<\/p>\n
Tosari, 59, is believed to have edged out PPP secretary
\ngeneral Ali Marwan Hanan to take over Hamzah's seat during a
\nmeeting of the PPP Faction in the House.<\/p>\n
Tosari and Ali were nominated as deputy speakers following
\nHamzah's appointment as coordinating minister for people's
\nwelfare and poverty eradication.<\/p>\n
The appointment of Tosari could spark friction within the
\nparty as both Tosari and Hamzah are from the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)
\nMuslim Organization.<\/p>\n
\"Maybe there will be dissatisfaction. But all parties will
\naccept it since it had been decided,\" Tosari said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Ali had said earlier that the House's deputy speaker post
\nshould be given to someone not affiliated to NU, saying that a
\nnumber of NU politicians had already taken up various strategic
\nposts.<\/p>\n
State Minister for Cooperatives, Small and Medium Enterprises
\nZarkasih Nur is another senior NU member, while President
\nAbdurrahman Wahid himself only relinquished his chairmanship of
\nNU last week.<\/p>\n
NU is one of four Islamic parties merged into PPP in 1972. The
\norganization pulled out of PPP in 1984 because of discord with
\nthe other factions.<\/p>\n
Hamzah, himself, is also embroiled in controversy following
\nhis resignation as coordinating minister of people's welfare and
\npoverty eradication.<\/p>\n
He was replaced on Tuesday by Basri Hasanuddin.<\/p>\n
There is speculation that his resignation may be linked to the
\ninvestigation of alleged corruption by Cabinet ministers and his
\ndisapproval of Abdurrahman's desire to open trade ties with
\nIsrael.<\/p>\n
Hamzah has denied these suggestions saying that he merely
\nwanted to focus more attention on party affairs.<\/p>\n
The process of Hamzah's resignation itself continues to be a
\nsore point of contention, with PPP officials describing Hamzah's
\ndeparture as a \"dismissal\" rather than a resignation.<\/p>\n
Tosari claimed there was a \"miscommunication\" between Hamzah
\nand Abdurrahman.<\/p>\n
He said that Hamzah had in the past verbally indicated that he
\nwas contemplating resignation, however, what he wanted most of
\nall from the President was a public clarification on rumors that
\nhe was being investigated for graft.<\/p>\n
Instead Abdurrahman, upon his arrival from an overseas trip,
\nimmediately said he accepted Hamzah's resignation.<\/p>\n
Tosari said the central board of PPP would hold a two-day
\nleadership meeting on Sunday and ask the President to clear up
\nthe matter.<\/p>\n
Tosari asserted that as a party which helped Abdurrahman win
\nthe presidency, there should also be further \"political
\ncompensations\" in the form of Cabinet posts, ambassadorships or
\nseats on the Supreme Advisory Council.<\/p>\n
Rusdi Hamka, chairman of the PPP faction in the House also
\nunderlined the importance of the President clarifying the matter
\nfurther and retorting allegations that PPP executives were
\ninvolved in corruption.<\/p>\n
\"Otherwise the future of PPP will be bleak,\" he said. (jun)<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tosari-named-new-deputy-speaker-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }