Disbursement of funds for PKB postponed

Disbursement of funds for PKB postponed

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post,
Jakarta

The government has decided to postpone the disbursement of
financial support for the National Awakening Party (PKB) until
the party's internal rift is settled, Minister of Home Affairs
Hari Sabarno said on Wednesday.

Hari said that he was waiting for the decision from the
Ministry of Justice and Human Rights to determine which faction
of the party had the right to receive the fund.

"We need definite proof to verify the disbursement of the
fund. The money is still there ... it is not missing," Hari said.

Currently, there are two claims to the party's chairmanship,
from the incumbent Minister of Defense Matori Abdul Djalil and
Alwi Shihab, former minister of foreign affairs during president
Abdurrahman Wahid's tenure.

Matori was dismissed by Abdurrahman, chief of the party's
board of patrons, as Matori chose to support President Megawati
Soekarnoputri's ascension to the presidency last July.

According to government regulation No. 51/2001, each of the 48
political parties, registered with the government, are eligible
for financial assistance amounting to Rp 1,000 (US$0.08) per vote
per annum.

In the 2001 fiscal year, the government allocated some Rp 105
billion (US$95million) for financial assistance to political
parties.

Based on data from the Ministry of Home Affairs, only nine
parties are entitled to receive the money, while seven other
parties are not eligible to receive it due to various problems.
The remaining 32 parties have yet to register to collect the
fund.

When asked whether the decision was taken in favor of Matori,
Hari said that he had just followed procedures and would wait for
the Ministry of Justice to decide who should receive the fund.

"It is not about a person, but it's the organization that I
have to consider," he added.

In a related development, in order to avoid further
uncertainty, leaders of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
are considering officiating one of the two nominees proposed by
the two opposing camps in the National Awakening Party (PKB) to
be the Assembly's deputy speaker to replace Matori.

People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien Rais said the
move should be taken because the opposing camps of Matori and of
Alwi Shihab were unable to find a solution.

"Although it will possibly trigger protests, we have to take a
decision if they are unable to find a solution themselves after
several weeks. Why not?" Amien told the press after officiating
seven new members of the Assembly here on Monday.

Amien was commenting on who would fill the post of Assembly
deputy speaker, which was left vacant after Matori was appointed
defense minister.

He said basically the Assembly leaders had no intention of
interfering in the internal feud in PKB, but the situation had
prompted the Assembly leaders to take action.

Alwi's camp has nominated senior politician Cholil Bisri to
take over Matori's post at the Assembly, but Matori's camp
rejected the nomination and tried to nominate another candidate.

Earlier, Amien swore in seven new Assembly members -- three
from the United Development Party (PPP), two from the Reform
faction, one from the Interest Group and one from the Indonesian
Nationhood (KKI) faction.

They were Abduh Paddare, Anwar Malik and Barlianta Harahap
(PPP), Cecep Rukmana and Zulkifli Halim (Reform), Tutty Alawiyah
(Interest Group) and Birinus Joseph Rahawadan (KKI).