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)