Gus Dur asks Taufik on PKB dispute

Gus Dur asks Taufik on PKB dispute

JAKARTA: The leadership dispute in the National Awakening Party
(PKB) has taken a new twist with PKB patron Abdurrahman "Gus Dur"
Wahid sending on Thursday a memo to Taufik Kiemas, the husband of
President Megawati Soekarnoputri, to help settle the dispute.

Gus Dur said the letter was meant to pressure Minister of
Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra to withdraw his
previous decision, which rejected the registration of the Alwi
Shihab-led PKB for the 2004 general elections.

"I wrote a memo to Taufik Kiemas. I wrote that the move not to
execute (a Supreme Court verdict) is against the law and violates
the balance of power between the three organs of state -- the
executive, legislature and judiciary. It's a constitutional
violation," the former president said.

Gus Dur warned that if Megawati failed to settle the case,
supporters of her Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan) would have to deal with his PKB in the upcoming
election.

The Supreme Court ruled in the middle of last month in favor
of Alwi's PKB. But, the verdict is not yet final as the chairman
of the rival PKB faction, Matori Abdul Djalil, who is also
Megawati's defense minister, has filed a request for a review of
the ruling.--JP