Muninggar Sri Saraswati – Calls for unity and reconciliation by National Awakening Party chairman Muhaimin Iskandar have been dismissed by members of a splinter group, who claim he is taking advantage of the late Abdurrahman Wahid's memory.

The Muslim-based party, also known as the PKB, was founded by the former president but has been racked by internal conflicts and political rifts in recent years. It was reportedly Wahid's dying wish that the party's different factions reconcile their differences.

But supporters of Yenny Wahid, the party's former secretary general and Wahid's daughter, rejected Muhaimin's offer on Sunday. The splinter group, also known as PKB Kalibata, said it would instead host a national party meeting in April, as Wahid had planned before his death on Wednesday.

"Gus Dur actually wanted it to be held in February, but we need time to prepare everything," said Imron Rosyadi Hamid, a spokesman for PKB Kalibata, referring to Wahid by his nickname.

Imron said the national party meeting would be attended by top executives from PKB Kalibata and a number of Islamic clerics. He accused Muhaimin's camp of trying to dominate the party.

"He even manipulated Gus Dur's death by claiming to accept his last wishes," Imron said, adding that Wahid had never made any last wish regarding politics.

On Thursday, the day after Wahid's death, Muhaimin said: "Gus Dur's last message was for the PKB to be in peace and grow naturally."

Imron said he suspected the claims by Muhaimin, who is also Wahid's nephew, were an attempt to make peace with supporters of the former president, who was ousted from his position in the party after clashing with his nephew in 2008.

Muhaimin has managed to remain PKB chief and was appointed minister of manpower and transmigration by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, whose Democratic Party was supported by the PKB during last year's presidential election.

Imron said Wahid and PKB Kalibata had previously offered to reconcile with Muhaimin's camp, but the offer was rejected. "They even said that Gus Dur was no longer a PKB member," he added.

Abdul Kadir Karding, a senior PKB executive, said his camp would continue to seek unity with PKB Kalibata and other party factions. "We will approach all camps, particularly those who were once a part of the PKB," he said. "Strengthen the PKB is our way of honoring Gus Dur."

A week before Wahid's death, the PKB controversially ousted Lily Wahid, the former president's sister, from the party after she was accused of undermining Muhaimin's position.