PBR factions agree to reunite

JAKARTA: The Reform Star Party (PBR) has ended its internal rift during a meeting mediated by Aksa Mahmud, a deputy speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) who is also a Golkar Party member.

Aksa was reportedly ordered by Vice President and Golkar leader Jusuf Kalla to help overcome the PBR dispute.

Aksa said on Tuesday that noted Muslim preacher Zainuddin MZ will remain the PBR leader, with Zaenal Ma'arif, who earlier held the top post in the party's splinter camp, being one of his deputies.

Zainuddin apologized to the public for the internal rift, saying he hopes the reconciliation would boost the party's image.

The internal conflict followed a bitter dispute over the contested election of Zainuddin as the PBR chairman last year. Zaenal and a number of other senior party members later set up a splinter faction in protest against the election result. --JP