Muninggar Sri Saraswati – As former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, one of the founders of the National Awakening Party, lay in hospital on Friday, an internal conflict within the party erupted after it dismissed Lily Wahid, Gus Dur's sister, and deputy of the party's advisory board.
"Ibu Lily has acted a number of times against the party. She does all this without discussing the issue beforehand with other party members," PKB spokesman Agus Sulis said on Friday, adding that the decision was taken during the party's plenary meeting on Thursday.
Agus said that Lily had gone "too far" with her request to file a judicial review of the 2008 State Ministries Law to the Constitutional Court, which he said was aimed at ousting the PKB chairman.
"It is clear that the main goal here is to dethrone Muhaimin Iskandar," Agus said. Muhaimin is the Manpower and Transmigration Minister.
Lily requested that the court review Article 23 of the law, which stipulates that ministers cannot work on the board of private companies. Ministers are also prohibited from leading organizations financed by public money.
Lily requested the court specify whether organizations funded by the public purse included political parties. Lily has also called for PKB to hold an "extraordinary" meeting on the leadership issue next year, instead of 2013, as is scheduled.
Ali Nashan Musya, the brother of former PKB chairman Ali Masykur Musa, will replace Lily in the interim, but she has vowed to challenge her "baseless" dismissal in the courts.
"I have no intention to oust Muhaimin as the party chairman. Honestly, he is unable to give his utmost due to his ministerial position," she told the Jakarta Globe.
The PKB is no stranger to internecine conflict. It was founded by Gus Dur and a number of senior clerics from the 40 million-strong Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the largest Islamic organization in Indonesia. NU was founded in 1926 by Hasyim Asya'ri, Gus Dur's grandfather. Gus Dur led the party for many years.
His style of leadership included resolving conflict by dismissing officials. He dismissed his cousin, Muhaimin Iskandar, as PKB chairman in 2008. Prior to that, Alwi Shihab and Matori Abdul Djalil were also ousted.
Relations are strained between Muhaimin and PKB secretary-general Lukman Edy because Muhamin decided to put forward Ahmad Helmy Faishal Zaini for a cabinet role without holding a party plenary meeting.
But Muhaimin and Lukman have not always been at loggerheads. They joined hands to fight Gus Dur in court, successfully, after Muhaiman was ousted.
Reinstated as PKB leader, Muhaimin went on to dismiss Wahid's daughter, who was PKB secretary-general.
Lily's judicial review could also affect Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare and Golkar chairman Agung Laksono, Justice Minister and National Mandate Party (PAN) deputy chairman Patrialis Akbar and the Forestry Minister and PAN secretary general Zulkifli Hasan.