Erwin Cristianson, Jakarta – The Golkar Party's leadership rift took a new turn late on Monday after disputed chairman Agung Laksono said his camp planned to file a lawsuit against a rival faction led by tycoon Aburizal Bakrie.

Agung, who was appointed as party chairman in Jakarta on Sunday, said his camp would file a lawsuit challenging the result of a Bali congress, which declared Bakrie leader.

The lawsuit was announced on Monday afternoon at the same time as Agung's camp submitted the results of its Jakarta congress to the Justice and Human Rights Ministry.

"We officially register the result of Golkar's 9th congress, the one held democratically based on the party's constitution," faction member Priyo Budi Santoso said.

Details of the lawsuit were limited, but Agung said his camp had prepared a team of "100 lawyers" to argue the case, as well handle its negotiations with the Justice and Human Rights Ministry.

The ministry announced a special task force would be formed to examine which faction of the Golkar Party would be officially recognized in the House of Representatives (DPR).

"We have already gathered a legal team with 100 lawyers including Todung Mulya Lubis and Adnan Buyung Nasution," Agung said on Monday, as quoted by state-run news agency Antara. "We have formed a legal team of Golkar members to fulfill the procedure."

Bakrie, who was declared to have obtained 100 percent of votes after all his challengers dropped out of the running the Bali on Dec. 3, had already registered his new party lineup with the ministry by 8 a.m. on Monday. He said he was "optimistic" his faction would be declared legitimate because it was based on "congress procedure."

Justice and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly said he would consider both reports fairly and noted Agung's legal challenge was valid. But a ministry official later declared the documents submitted by Agung's camp were incomplete.

"They haven't given the official note signed by a notary and there are still many things missing," said Harkristuti, the ministry's director general of general law administration. "The one we received this morning [from Bakrie's faction] was complete, but this one is still incomplete."

Agung's camp will file the lawsuit to Central Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN)

Source: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/golkar-rift-widens-legal-challenge-planned/