Reconsiliation between Matori and Alwi unlikely
Asip A. Hasani and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta/Jakarta
As reconciliation with Matori Abdul Djalil's faction looks increasingly remote, the National Awakening Party (PKB) Alwi Shihab faction has decided to amend the party's constitution and political platform.
Briefing the press one day before the faction kicked off its congress in Yogyakarta, party executive A.S. Hikam refused to say if the amendments were related to plans to change the party's name, saying only that the changes were needed to improve the party's structural capabilities so that it could attract more voters in the 2004 general election.
"It is very important for the PKB to attract more voters in the general election so that we can translate our political platform into the country's political life more effectively," he said.
At least 1,600 PKB workers confirmed their participation in the congress to be opened by its advisory board chief, former president Abdurrahman Wahid, or Gus Dur as he is familiarly known.
Set up in July 1999, the PKB split into two groups in July 2001 after a faction led by Matori Abdul Djalil attended the 2001 extraordinary session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) that removed then president Abdurrahman Wahid, a PKB founder, from office.
Gus Dur, in his capacity as the PKB's board of patrons chief, retaliated by dismissing Matori and replaced him with Alwi Shihab, who had served as the minister for foreign affairs during Gus Dur's short-lived presidency.
Matori, who continues to claim to be the legitimate chairman of the PKB, set out on Wednesday hard-to-accept conditions for reconciliation with the Alwi camp, namely that he (Matori) be allowed to keep his position as the party chairman.
"We are always open to a reconciliation with Alwi's camp, but on condition that I must retain my chairmanship," Matori said at the closing ceremony of his faction's three-day congress in Jakarta.
Matori's precondition for a reconciliation is very unlikely to be accepted by the Alwi camp, setting the stage for a formal breakup of the political party that was founded in July 1999 with the support of Nahdlatul Ulama, the country's biggest Muslim organization, which has at least 45 million members.
In the event of breaking up, Matori is likely to retain the name PKB, while Alwi Shihab will have to find a different name for his party. Alwi will also have to register his party with the justice and human rights ministry in order to contest the 2004 general election.
It was not clear, however, if the constitution changes already drafted also covered a change in the party's name. The party's board of patrons chief, Gus Dur, had said earlier that he would change the party's name should Matori's PKB win recognition from the administration of President Megawati Soekarnoputri.
"The new name could be the 'Original PKB' or something similar," Gus Dur once said.
Hikam, who served as minister of research and technology in Gus Dur's cabinet, said the expected changes in the party's political platform were crucial for updating it in line with prevailing political and social issues.
He said that in the political field, the party's platform would underline constitutional reform, including a campaign for good governance and direct presidential elections, he said.
"The draft change of platform in the economic field focuses on the concept of "popular economy" but with an emphasis on the concept's practicality rather than using it rhetorically."
Hikam said other crucial issues that would be inserted in the party's platform concerned regional autonomy and national education.
Secretary of the congress steering committee, Khofifah Indar Parawansa, who is also one of the party's central executive board members, said that a major change would also be made as part of the effort to guarantee more proportionate women's representation in the party.
In his capacity as a member of the party's central executive board, Hikam said that Alwi's faction would make every effort to approach and reunite with Matori Abdul Djalil's faction despite Matori's absence from the Alwi faction congress.
"Because Pak Matori is also a PKB worker who has given significant service to the party. We still hope that he will appear before this congress to clarify what he did, although we have already given him five opportunities to meet with the PKB central board, all of which he failed to avail of," he asserted.
Hikam said that suing Matori's faction for establishing an illegal party would still be a resort that was open to the Alwi faction.
"What kind of reconciliation efforts we make are dependent on the new central executive board and the congress," he added.