Matori rejects dismissal from National Awakening Party

JAKARTA (JP): The law making body of the National Awakening Party (PKB) approved on Monday the dismissal of Matori Abdul Djalil and Abdul Cholik Achmad as party's chairman and official in charge of education affairs respectively.

"The removal of Matori and Cholik is legitimate as the two kept defying party' policies. Should they fail to heed our warning, we may proceed with their expulsion from the party," the law making body's secretary Arifin Junaidi told reporters at the party's headquarters in Kuningan, South Jakarta.

Arifin also said that the party's decision to appoint Alwi Shihab as its acting chairman would stand.

Earlier in the day, Matori insisted that he was the rightful chairman of the party for the 2000/2005 period as a result of last year's PKB congress in Surabaya, East Java.

"I insist that any decision to dismiss or suspend a party member -- either from the party's board of executives or the House of Representatives, is unlawful without approval from the PKB chairman, that is me," Matori said as quoted by Antara as saying.

Matori renewed his appeal to PKB members to be realistic and accept the result of the People's Consultative Assembly's (MPR) Special Session for the sake of the nation.

The PKB executive board dismissed Matori on July 21 as the defiant PKB chairman attended the Special Session of the MPR, an event which PKB said was unlawful.

Matori was fired in a meeting led by its cofounder, Abdurrahman Wahid, prior to the plenary session to impeach him.

Arifin said that Matori's suspension had little effect on the party's cohesiveness.

"Even though Pak Matori claims that he, along with his followers, will hold a rival congress to set up party called PKB Reform, I'm not sure that he has a strong base at the grass roots level," Arifin said.

Arifin also reminded Matori that his appointment as the party's chairman was due to the sole support of Abdurrahman, who is the party's chief patron.

In the East Java town of Situbondo, a councillor representing PKB in the local legislature resigned on Monday in a display of loyalty to Abdurrahman, who was ousted last week.

Achmad Zainuri Ghazali, the leader of martial arts group Pagar Nusa -- one of the wings under Nahdlatul Ulama -- said he had already taken a vow to leave the legislature should Gus Dur be forced to step down.

"I pledged to leave the council if Gus Dur was impeached," he said.

East Java is known as the strongest power base of Gus Dur, whose family founded Nahdlatul Ulama.

Separately, caretaker minister of defense Mahfud M.D. suggested that Abdurrahman drop any bid to make a comeback in politics upon arrival from his trip to the U.S.

"I was the last minister to accompany him to the plane (when he was about to fly to the U.S.) and I told him that I will wait for him in Ciganjur," said Mahfud, referring to an area in South Jakarta where Abdurrahman lives.

Mahfud admitted Abdurrahman better known as Gus Dur was not suited for the presidency.

"There are three theories about Gus Dur's downfall: an intelligence operation by some sectors of TNI, foreign intervention and Gus Dur's personal condition. I myself believe in the last theory. Besides his physical handicap, Gus Dur's attitude accelerated his downfall," Mahfud said. (23/nur/bby/tso)