Yusril to settle dispute between PKB factions<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
With the judicial process in the long-standing dispute between
\nthe two camps in the National Awakening Party (PKB) still
\ndragging on, the final say now lies with the Minister of Justice
\nand Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra.<\/p>\n
Both the warring parties came to Yusril in a bid to block each
\nother's path to winning the right to contest next year's general
\nelection.<\/p>\n
Alwi Shihab, who chairs the PKB loyal to former president
\nAbdurrahman Wahid, led a top-notch delegation that included
\ndeputy chairmen Mahfud MD, Muhaimin Iskandar, AS Hikam and
\nsecretary-general Syaifullah Yusuf.<\/p>\n
They submitted a number of documents required by the ministry
\nto contest the 2004 election.<\/p>\n
About an hour earlier, lawyers representing the PKB splinter
\ngroup under Matori Abdul Djalil met Yusril to file an objection
\nagainst the Alwi camp, who had registered their political
\ngrouping under the PKB name.<\/p>\n
Alamsyah Hanafiah, who led the team of lawyers, said his
\nclients demanded that the ministry disqualify Alwi's PKB as the
\ncourt verdict over the conflict was not final yet. The Supreme
\nCourt has ruled in favor of the PKB under Alwi, upholding the
\ndecision of the Jakarta High Court which ruled that Matori was
\nacting unlawfully in using the party's name, logo and anthem.<\/p>\n
However, the verdict did not immediately settle the dispute as
\nthe court did not rule on which verdict should be used as Alwi's
\nPKB is currently appealing to the Supreme Court in a different
\nlawsuit over the same case. This lawsuit was also won by Matori.<\/p>\n
The ministry's Director of Public Legal Administration,
\nZulkarnaen Yusuf said his office had not yet decided which camp
\nwas eligible to contest the election under the PKB banner.<\/p>\n
"We'll hold a meeting on this issue on Thursday because we
\nhave yet to receive the verdict of the Supreme Court," he said.<\/p>\n
Alwi said that he understood the ministry's decision. However,
\nhe said he still wanted the ministry to comply with the Supreme
\nCourt verdict.<\/p>\n
"We have given every opportunity to Pak Matori. We have
\noffered to make peace. We even agreed to give him a top post in
\nthe PKB but he rejected us every time. Instead, he insisted on
\ncontinuing the legal fight," he remarked.<\/p>\n
Alwi said his party would remain open to Matori should he want
\nto rejoin Alwi's PKB.<\/p>\n
Yusril promised to settle the case as fairly as possible.<\/p>\n
"Both parties have called me. I assure them that we will be
\nfair in settling the case," he said.<\/p>\n
Yusril said that his office would comply with the Supreme
\nCourt verdict despite a possible legal challenge against it.<\/p>\n
"A Supreme Court verdict must be executed despite any
\nchallenge from one of the conflicted parties," he said.<\/p>\n
The dispute has dragged on following the dismissal of Matori
\nas PKB chairman in 2001 by PKB chief patron Abdurrahman Wahid
\nafter the former attended the Special Session of the People's
\nConsultative Assembly (MPR) in 2001, which led to Gus Dur's
\nremoval as president.<\/p>\n
Matori later set up another party with the same name.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/yusril-to-settle-dispute-between-pkb-factions-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }