Alwi's camp gears up for PKB congress

Alwi's camp gears up for PKB congress

SURABAYA: The splinter group of the National Awakening Party
(PKB) led by chief welfare minister Alwi Shihab is preparing to
stage a national congress in Surabaya on Oct. 1 and Oct. 2.

"Preparations for the congress are 90 percent complete and we
have coordinated with various sides to ensure the event is a
success," deputy committee chairman Balyan Firjaun said on
Monday.

He said the two-day meeting would be held in the Sukolilo haj
dormitory. Alwi is expected to retain his leadership and State
Minister for the Development of Disadvantaged Regions Saefullah
Yusuf his current position as secretary-general of the group.

The committee said around 2,500 participants from the PKB's 32
provincial branches and 390 regental branches would be in
attendance.

Alwi's camp does not recognize the PKB leadership of House of
Representatives Deputy Speaker Muhaimin Iskandar, who is a loyal
confidante of former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid.

The leadership split followed the dismissal of Alwi and
Saefullah as the PKB chairman and secretary general respectively
by the Muhaimin faction in October last year. --Antara