PKB mulls changing party structure

JAKARTA: The National Awakening Party (PKB) plans to reorganize its structure with the aim of conceding a very powerful position for its next leader, a party executive said on Tuesday.

Head of the PKB's organization and social division Misbah Hidayat said such a structure would be proposed during the party's congress next month in Semarang, Central Java, to reform the party following an internal row between its two main bodies -- Syuro (supervisory) and Tanfidziyah (executive).

Under the proposed change, the PKB will only select one leader, who will then have full authority to elect other party board members including the vice leader and secretary-general, as well as the heads of the Syuro and Tanfidziyah bodies.

Misbah said that during the congress, the PKB would likely confer the leadership to party founder and former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, who is considered to be the only figure who could reunite one of the country's biggest parties. --JP