Megawati approves Bisri's bid for MPR key post

Annastashya Emmanuelle, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President Megawati Soekarnoputri will soon issue a decree to appoint Muslim cleric Cholil Bisri to fill the post of deputy speaker in the People's Consultative Assembly.

Roy B. Janis, chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction at the House of Representatives, quoted Megawati as telling PDI Perjuangan cadres on Tuesday that she had no objection to the appointment of Cholil. Megawati is also chairman of PDI Perjuangan.

The appointment has been shrouded in controversy as the former deputy speaker, Matori Abdul Djalil who is now Minister of Defense, had proposed his own candidate to fill the post.

Bisri, a legislator from the National Awakening Party faction (FKB), was elected by a majority vote at the People's Consultative Assembly last week to fill the position left vacant by Matori.

Legislators from Cholil's faction have repeatedly asked the government to issue a presidential decree for his appointment.

Matori, now considered a dissident by the National Awakening Party (PKB) -- the political party of former President Abdurrahman Wahid -- for supporting Megawati, established a splinter group, also named PKB.

Presently, there are two PKBs, one led by Matori and the other by Alwi Shihab. Megawati's approval of Bisri, who is from Alwi's group, signifies her support for Alwi's faction.