Matori's PKB plans to hold extraordinary congress

Abu Hanifah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The National Awakening Party (PKB), under the chairmanship of Matori Abdul Djalil, plans to organize an extraordinary congress before March in an attempt to strengthen his grip on the party, which has had a split leadership for the past four months.

All 27 regional chapters of the party, which took part in the ongoing national working meeting here, demanded that the congress be held to resolve the leadership dispute in the party, according to acting secretary-general Abdul Khalik Ahmad.

Matori is leading the minority camp in the party, which relies on the support of millions of members of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the country's largest Muslim organization.

The other camp is led by former foreign minister Alwi Shihab and relies heavily on the patronage of Abdurrahman Wahid, the former NU chairman who was Indonesia's president until his dismissal in July.

Matori dissented from the party line when he endorsed the election of Megawati Soekarnoputri as president in July to replace Abdurrahman. He had since been rewarded with the post of minister of defense.

Although the majority in the PKB has since rejected his leadership, he continues to command a small, but loyal, group of supporters, who turned up in full force at this week's meeting.

"All problems regarding the leadership must be resolved in a congress," Abdul told The Jakarta Post, adding that the opposing camp would be invited to attend.

The meeting, which is due to end on Wednesday, is expected to nominate a successor to Matori for the position of deputy chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

Abdul said only one name would be proposed. He declined to be specific, although he is rumored to be the leading contender.

The PKB factions in both the House of Representatives and MPR have also been split, but Matori managed to retain his position as MPR deputy chairman.

Alwi Shihab's camp failed to unseat Matori from the MPR leadership when the Assembly held its annual session last week.