Jakarta – The two rival National Awakening Party (PKB) camps have yet to show signs of reconciliation as they go ahead with their separate extraordinary congresses.
On Wednesday night, the PKB faction loyal to chief patron Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid held an executive meeting at the party's headquarters in Kalibata, South Jakarta.
"We called the meeting to familiarize PKB regional executives with the extraordinary congress," PKB acting leader Ali Masykur Musa said. He said executives from 26 provinces attended the gathering.
The congress will be held in Denpasar, Bali, starting on April 30. The rival congress will take place in Jakarta on May 2-4. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has declined to open either congress.
Ali said Gus Dur's faction was the legitimate side to represent PKB in the 2009 general elections. "We have told the General Elections Commission (KPU) that the highest authority within the party is the board of patrons, not the chairman," said Ali.
Gus Dur opened the meeting, which was also attended by top party executives including Secretary-General Zannuba Arifah Chafsoh, also known as Yenny Wahid, and head of the PKB faction at the House of Representatives Effendy Choirie.
In his opening speech Gus Dur said certain national figures who did not want him to contest the 2009 presidential election were behind the PKB rift. "There is a very strong attempt to keep me from the presidential election," said Gus Dur, whom PKB has nominated as presidential candidate.
The internal dispute within the PKB, the fifth-largest faction at the House, revolved around the dismissal of party leader Muhaimin Iskandar earlier this month at the request of Gus Dur, who is also Muhaimin's uncle.
The KPU has asked the two camps to settle the squabble before May 12, the final day of registration for parties intending to contest the 2009 legislative election.
Although he branded Muhaimin's congress illegal, Gus Dur said he would welcome his nephew to join the meeting in Bali.
Abdul Kadir Karding, a PKB politician supporting Muhaimin, said preparations were intensifying. The organizers have booked rooms at Borobudur Hotel in Central Jakarta for the congress. "We are ready for this meeting," Karding said.
He said Muhaimin's camp was the legitimate faction to represent PKB in the 2009 elections. "The board of patrons cannot register for the elections with the KPU as it only deals with formulation of the party's guidelines and monitoring the party's programs," he said.
The party's external affairs, including registration with the KPU, fall under the party executives, who are led by Muhaimin, said Karding. "Moreover, the law acknowledges only the leader as the legitimate representative of the party," Karding said.
Karding said he expected the two camps to reach an agreement, but was less certain about the chance of reconciliation. "We never know, politics always changes." (alf)