Matori gives up PKB ghost, registers new party

Matori gives up PKB ghost, registers new party

A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Matori Abdul Djalil's Democracy Glory Party (Pekade) registered
with the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights on Wednesday,
putting an end to his long-running legal dispute with the
National Awakening Party (PKB).

Pekade is now one of 91 political parties that have signed up
to contest the 2004 general election. Government verification of
the administrative requirements is needed by a party to obtain
corporate status.

Matori, who is also the minister of defense, said his party's
decision to participate in the registration process marked the
end to his claim to be the rightful leader of the PKB, as well as
the start of his campaign for next year's general election.

He was fired as PKB chairman in 2001 for attending the
extraordinary session of the People's Consultative Assembly that
eventually deposed President Abdurrahman Wahid, who is the PKB's
founder and chief patron.

Matori founded a splinter group of the PKB and went to court
to have it recognized as the "real" PKB. However, the court ruled
in favor of Abdurrahman. The Supreme Court is now hearing
Matori's appeal.

"It is easier and quicker to form a new party than to wait for
a verdict from the Supreme Court," Matori said on Wednesday.

Matori claimed his new party had chapters in all the country's
30 provinces, and branches in 320 municipalities/regencies, far
more than required by the law on political parties.

Besides Pekade, six other parties registered with the ministry
on Wednesday. They were the United Democrat Party, the Indonesian
People's Sovereignty Party, the Indonesian United Farmers Party,
the Just and Prosperous Party, the Regional Unity Party and the
Indonesian People's Unity Party.

Of the 91 parties registered so far, 21 are new ones.

Wicipto Setiadi, a member of the ministry's verification team,
said the ministry would allow parties to register until Sept. 27
before verification.

Only nine parties have already passed the screening process by
the ministry. They must go through further vetting by the General
Elections Commission (KPU) before being eligible to contest the
2004 general election.