Desy Nurhayati and Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, the paramount leader of the National Awakening Party (PKB), lost two legal battles against his political foes on Thursday.
In separate sessions, the South Jakarta District Court ruled in favor of Muhaimin Iskandar, who Gus Dur dismissed in April as PKB chief, and Lukman Edi, who the former president dismissed in 2007 as the party's secretary-general after President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono appointed him minister for underprivileged regions.
The court said Lukman, who Gus Dur replaced with his daughter, Yenny Wahid, should be reinstated as the party's secretary-general.
Since Muhaimin's dismissal, the PKB leadership has been split. Muhaimin has refused to accept his dismissal, claiming to be the rightful chief of the party, while the Gus Dur camp elected Ali Maskur Musa to replace him.
The dual leadership has jeopardized the participation of the PKB, the third largest party in Indonesia in terms of popular vote, in the 2009 general elections.
The Gus Dur camp immediately told the court they would appeal the decision on Muhaimin to the Supreme Court. The Muhaimin camp said they would seek permission from the justice ministry this Friday to contest the upcoming elections.
Presiding judge Suharto said in the verdict that Muhaimin's dismissal was illegal and violated the party's constitution.
Muhaimin told a press conference shortly after the verdict's announcement that he would ask the Gus Dur camp to concede defeat and join forces for the general elections.
"Winning the 2009 elections is more important than making an issue of who wins this case. I will ask Gus Dur to join us and rebuild the party," he said.
Muhaimin's lawyer, Firman Wijaya, said the verdict reaffirmed Muhaimin's position as the legitimate chief of the PKB.
Gus Dur said the verdict was "politically motivated" and that it was an attempt to block him from running for president next year.
He accused the Yudhoyono government of pressuring the court in favor of Muhaimin.
"The South Jakarta court made a big mistake. The judges could have been under pressure from top government officials," he told a press conference.