Markus Junianto Sihaloho – The National Awakening Party said on Sunday that it was in the process of finalizing its registration in the 2014 elections, but one party leader said her unresolved dispute with the faction could hamper the process.
Imam Nahrawi, secretary general of the party known as the PKB, said they were verifying the membership of party members as required by the law. Once completed, he said the PKB's application would be submitted to the Justice and Human Rights Ministry as soon as possible to meet the July deadline.
Under the revised law on political parties, those intending to run in the national polls must prove they have almost 1,000 members spread throughout the country's 33 provinces. Parties previously needed only 50 members to win official recognition.
"We hope in the next few weeks, all the data can be collected and we will take it to the Justice and Human Rights Ministry for registration," Imam said.
The party is holding a national coordination meeting this week in Bandung, attracting hundreds of party leaders from all around Indonesia. Imam said the event would make it easier to collect the required data.
However, Lily Chadijah Wahid, a PKB lawmaker who recently sued the party for expelling her and another lawmaker, Effendy Choirie, from the legislature, said the matter between them and PKB has not yet been settled.
The party claims the pair was recalled for neglecting their duties, but they argue that it was because they failed to toe the party line by signing a petition in the House of Representatives backing an inquiry into corruption at the tax office.
Although the Central Jakarta District Court recently rejected her case, Lily said she and Effendy would appeal the verdict at the Supreme Court. "We have 14 days to appeal, and that is what we will do," Lily said.
As long as the matter isn't settled, she suggested, the PKB could not officially be declared a participant in the election.
Lily also claimed that some of the branch offices of the party at provincial and district levels had unresolved disputes with the national leadership.
"The ministry must pay attention to this matter and should not OK [the data submitted by the party]," she said.
Imam, however, dismissed Lily's statements as nothing more than those of an angry and impatient person.
"Let her say whatever she wants to say. The PKB will move on. I hope she prays to God more to be given patience," he said. "But if she does something that could harm our party's credibility, we will sue her," he added.