Muhaimin's PKB camp ready for elections

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Sun, 07/20/2008 10:38 AM  |  Headlines

As Muhaimin Iskandar, chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB), gears up to contest next year's general election, his uncle Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, who's bid to head the party was vetoed by the Supreme Court, is left pondering whether he will vote.

"We're grateful for the Court's verdict and we are now consolidating the party to prepare for the election," deputy secretary general of Muhaimin's camp Helmy Faisal, said here Saturday.

"We'll immediately submit the legitimate executive board to the Justice and Human Rights Ministry and wait for the next authorization process from the General Elections Commission (KPU)," he said.

The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that Muhaimin, and not Gus Dur, should preside over the party as chairman.

The court ruling allows Gus Dur and Muhaimin to remain as the party's chief patron and chairman, respectively. However, it annuls the decision made during their respective camp's extraordinary meetings earlier this year, in which they established their own party executive boards.

Muhaimin's camp voted to dethrone Gus Dur as the party's chief patron and his daughter Yenny Wahid as secretary-general.

A meeting of Gus Dur's camp held just a few days earlier had dismissed Muhaimin as chairman and elected Ali Masykur Musa as his replacement while retaining Yenny as secretary-general.

Gus Dur said he would not reconcile with his opponent and threatened to be a non-voter in the election following the verdict.

"I will not reconcile (with Muhaimin). I don't trust him anymore," the former president said.

"People are also unlikely to vote because they are tired and they no longer trust the government."

Gus Dur said as the party's founder he had the right to determine the future of the party. He accused justice minister Andi Mattalatta for intervening during the court's ruling. Andi has rebuffed the accusation.

Gus Dur said his camp would hold an internal meeting next week before determining its stance on the court rule.

Muhaimin said his camp did not want to become entrenched in an internal conflict and that he preferred to focus on the party's preparations for the election.

"We expect all of the party's elements to comply with the court's decision because there are certain individuals trying to disrupt the party," he said as quoted by Antara.

"We are open to those willing to reconcile, but not to those who intend to disrupt the PKB."

Helmy said the party was not concerned that a prolonged internal conflict or Gus Dur's decision not to vote would affect the party's votes.

"I think (the conflict) will have no impact on our votes. Voters have become more and more educated and they will not neglect their political rights to cast their votes in the election," he said.

Helmy said the conflict was part of the party's process of dispelling those who sought to damage it.

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