M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta – While the House of Representatives is yet to decide on the fate of deputy speaker Zaenal Ma'arif, political factions in the legislature are clamoring for his dismissal.

The United Development Party (PPP) proposed that the House leadership hold a meeting with the factions to discuss a the prospect of a leadership shuffle.

"The sooner the better because we must quickly act upon the PBR (Reform Star Party)'s decision to recall Pak Zaenal from the House leadership," the House's PPP faction leader, Endin Soefihara, told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

The Muslim-based PBR decided Thursday to recall Zaenal as deputy House speaker after he took a second wife last week.

The move opened a window of opportunity for several major political factions in the House, which claimed they were disproportionately represented in the House leadership.

These factions, including PPP, the Democrat Party and the National Mandate Party and the Prosperous Justice Party have called for a shake-up in the House leadership for some time.

Demands for such a shuffle had also been raised by other factions who claimed to have been disillusioned by House Speaker Agung Laksono's erratic leadership.

Untung Wahono of the PKS said that should a leadership shuffle take place the PBR could not nominate a candidate to replace Zaenal because he was elected in a package together with candidates from the Nationhood Coalition including PKS, PAN, PBR and PPP.

"Pak Zaenal was elected the House deputy speaker representing the Nationhood Coalition and is not a representative from the PBR," he told the Post.

Untung, however, said that a shuffle would not happen soon as it needed to involve an amendment to the law on the House composition and its standing orders.

The House leadership consists of one speaker and four deputies who proportionately represent the political configuration at the legislature.

The House leadership failed Friday to make a decision about the PBR decision to recall Zaenal.

House deputy speaker Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle said that a meeting was held with Zaenal only to hear the reasoning behind his decision to be polygamous.

Soetardjo also said that no decision could be made as the House leadership was yet to receive an official letter from the PBR central board about its move to demote Zaenal.

Zaenal, who appeared helpless following his demotion, was on the offensive Friday.

Speaking after the meeting, Zaenal said he would remain a deputy speaker, arguing that he would not answer to the PBR central board as he was nominated for the post by the Nationhood Coalition. The polygamous politician also said that he would form a new political party to challenge the leadership of Bursah Syarnubi, the present leader of PBR.

"I will also find evidence about his violations of the party's statutes," Zaenal told reporters.