Amien calls on PKB faction to rejoin Assembly

Amien calls on PKB faction to rejoin Assembly

JAKARTA (JP): People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien
Rais called on the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction during
the closing speech of the Special Session on Thursday to rejoin
the Assembly.

"I sincerely hope that members of the National Awakening
Faction (FKB) return and participate in the Assembly," Amien
said, followed by loud cheers from Assembly members.

"We hope that our friends from FKB could support us in our
efforts to amend the Constitution and redraft our country's
principles," he added.

The Assembly speaker also remarked that all factions will
welcome PKB members with open arms to work together in the
Assembly working committee.

PKB was the sole supporter in the Assembly of former president
Abdurrahman Wahid and following the impeachment of Abdurrahman at
the Special Session, the faction decided to withdraw itself and
leave the Assembly.

The party also fired its chairman Matori Abdul Djalil, who
attended the session despite the party's decision to boycott the
meeting.

However, several members of the party expressed their
disagreement over the decision to withdraw their faction both
from the House of Representatives and the Assembly.

Following the call from the Assembly leaders, former PKB
chairman and Assembly deputy speaker Matori said that he expected
the party to respond positively to the Assembly's offer.

"I hope that the call receives a good response from PKB
because it is big responsibility to stay in the Assembly and they
should not lose hope over what has happened," Matori said after
the session.

Separately, PKB deputy secretary-general Chotibul Umam Wiranu
said that the party appreciated the appeal of the Assembly and
would further discuss the possibility at the party's coming
national meeting.

"Our party will decide everything at the upcoming national
meeting in August. The meeting will be held in Yogyakarta,"
Chotibul told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

"However, we really appreciate the appeal because it is an
official political request from Assembly members for our party to
rejoin them," he remarked.

However, Chotibul said that all branches of the party and the
central executive board had decided to temporarily withdraw their
faction from the House and Assembly as the logical consequence of
Abdurrahman's decree to dissolve the Assembly.

"But, we are going to further discuss the issue in mid August
and we are also waiting for the return of our advisory council
chairman from his medical check-up," Chotibul added.

Abdurrahman is the chairman of the party advisory council. He
left for the United States on Thursday for a medical checkup and
is due to return to the country within one week. (dja)