PKB may freeze East Java branch

SIDOARJO, East Java: The National Awakening Party (PKB) said on Sunday it would freeze the leadership board of its East Java branch for defying the party's new central board.

"We will take this move because the current leadership of the PKB's East Java branch operates on its own," PKB chief patron and former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid said in Sidoarjo regency, East Java.

He repeated the PKB's threat to dismiss any party member who opposed the party's central board, led by House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Muhaimin Iskandar.

Gus Dur mentioned Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Alwi Shihab, State Minister for the Development of Disadvantaged Regions Saifullah Yusuf, the head of East Java's PKB branch, Choirul Anam, and the branch's deputy head, Fathorassjid, as among those members facing dismissal.

Gus Dur said that before making any move, the central board would issue party members a third warning letter to recognize the leadership of Muhaimin, who was elected to the PKB's top post during last month's national congress in Semarang, Central Java.

Muhaimin said these final warning letters would be sent on Monday following a plenary session of the central board. --Antara