Matori told to accept dismissal

Matori told to accept dismissal

JAKARTA: Former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid said on Thursday that he wanted to make up with Matori Abdul Djalil on condition that the latter accepted his dismissal as chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB).

Gus Dur was responding to a suggestion by the South Jakarta District Court that the PKB conflict be settled amicably.

"One of the conditions that Matori must accept is that he recognizes the result of the most recent PKB congress in Yogyakarta, which elected Alwi Shihab as the new party leader," Gus Dur said.

Matori, the current defense minister, filed a lawsuit against Gus Dur, who in his capacity as chairman of the PKB board of patrons, removed Matori from the party's helm last year.

Matori claimed his dismissal was unlawful, and established a rival faction of the PKB with tacit backing from the government. --Antara