MPR tp get new deputy speaker

MPR tp get new deputy speaker

JAKARTA: A splinter faction of the National Awakening Party
(PKB) lead by Matori Abdul Djalil announced on Tuesday that it
had chosen Abdul Kholik Ahmad to fill a vacant deputy speaker's
post in the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

"The new deputy speaker will serve during for the 2001-2004
period," Matori said after meeting with MPR Speaker Amien Rais
and the five deputy speakers.

Kholik Ahmad is the secretary-general of Matori's splinter PKB
grouping.

Matori, the current defense minister, claims that he is still
in charge of the PKB as he has not yet been replaced by a party
congress. He was dismissed by the official party on Nov. 15 on
the grounds that he had violated the PKB statutes.

Separately, the official PKB stated that they were not worried
by Matori's announcement.

"What kind of joker is this guy? Just let the people make up
their own minds about Pak Matori. The more moves he makes, the
more losses he will suffer," the PKB chairman Alwi Shihab told
The Jakarta Post.

Alwi said that Matori's camp would not be able to take over in
the House as a majority of PKB legislators were still loyal to
the official party. -- JP