Ex-minister Muladi resigns from Golkar

Ex-minister Muladi resigns from Golkar

JAKARTA (JP): Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung confirmed
on Wednesday that former justice minister and state secretary
Muladi has resigned from the party.

"I haven't heard directly from Muladi but I know he has
decided to quit the party," said Akbar, also the House of
Representatives Speaker.

Despite his regret, Akbar said he could understand the motive
behind Muladi's decision. Muladi reportedly cited his academic
commitment as a professor of law at Semarang-based Diponegoro
University.

"We still need his service and contribution as the secretary
of the party's advisory board. But we can understand his reason
to return to the civil servants corps. You know a civil servant
is not allowed to be active in a political party," Akbar said.

Muladi briefly served as minister of justice under the
governments of former president Soeharto and his successor B.J.
Habibie between March 1998 and October 1999. Muladi took over
from Akbar in May 1999 as the state secretary after the latter
chose to concentrate on the June polls.

Golkar legislator Aly Yahya earlier suspected that Muladi, a
close aide of Habibie, wished to prompt an extraordinary meeting
of the party to topple Akbar and that the former minister had
received Rp 40 billion for the move.

Muladi, who is also the coordinator of a legal team for
military officers allegedly involved in human right abuses in
East Timor, has denied the accusation and plans to sue Aly for
slander.

Circles around Habibie were upset by Akbar's halfhearted
support for Habibie during the presidential election in October
last year.

Another Golkar activist Agung Laksono, who is also a former
minister, said the party agreed to speed up its congress to allow
the party to consolidate.

The congress will be held next year, one year ahead of its
original schedule. Akbar said the rescheduling would give Golkar
ample time to prepare for the 2004 general election. (jun)