PKB faction gears up for congress

KEDIRI, East Java: Clerics and executives of the National Awakening Party (PKB) under Alwi Shihab regrouped at Al Falah Islamic boarding school here on Sunday to discuss preparations for their upcoming congress.

Party secretary general, Saifullah Yusuf, said the congress would take place at the Sukolilo Haj Dormitory in Surabaya at the end of this month at the earliest or early in December at the latest. Participants of the congress will elect the party's chief patron replacing Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, who is a former president and the party's cofounder.

Saifullah said the congress would go ahead despite a court ruling which upheld the dismissal of himself and Alwi as PKB secretary general and chairman for joining the Cabinet of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono last year.

The Ministry of Justice and Human Rights has announced its acknowledgement of the faction loyal to Gus Dur as the legitimate representative of the party. -- Antara