Accusations fly after PKB ruling

Desy Nurhayati ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Sat, 06/14/2008 11:07 AM  |  National

The government has denied accusations it influenced the court to rule in favor of the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction under Muhaimin Iskandar, at the expense of Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid.

The judiciary is outside the control of the executive, so it was impossible for the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to meddle in the court's affairs, State Secretary Hatta Radjasa said Friday.

"The government has no reason to intervene in that way, and I have officially confirmed our refutation (of the accusations) to Gus Dur," Hatta said at the Merdeka Palace.

Former president Gus Dur was quick to accuse the government of pressuring the South Jakarta District Court, which overturned his decision to dismiss Muhaimin as party chairman in April of this year and Lukman Edy as secretary-general last year.

Hatta said the government's intervention in the court process was unlikely given the country's good governance and open democratic system.

"Such an accusation does not make sense. We have no interest in doing anything like that," Hatta said.

"Moreover, the government has often been defeated in court."

Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi agreed, saying Gus Dur had received misleading information about the court ruling.

Lukman, who was reinstated as PKB secretary-general in a rival congress in early May, said the party was unperturbed by the accusations and would focus on administrative measures to win the government's recognition as the legitimate representation of the PKB in the 2009 general elections.

He said the PKB would hold a national leadership meeting on June 26 to discuss preparations for the polls.

The PKB faction loyal to Gus Dur is preparing documents required to appeal the court verdict, which will be submitted next week.

"We hope the Supreme Court justices will accelerate this process so the PKB can contest the election," Effendy Choirie, head of the PKB faction at the House of Representatives, said.

Effendy said that despite the court's verdict, Gus Dur remained the PKB chief patron and Ali Masykur Musa the chairman.

"The verdict does not order the reinstatement of Muhaimin to the top executive position in the PKB," Effendy said.

He said he was confident his camp would eventually win the court battle.

"Just as in previous legal disputes, Gus Dur lost in the South Jakarta District Court, but then he won in the Supreme Court," he said.

Political expert Muhammad Qodari said the court verdict could not be seen as a significant step in the party's internal conflict.

"The verdict does not change the status quo, because it is not yet legally binding," Qodari said.

He said if the legal battle dragged on, both camps could lose their chance to contest the 2009 elections.

The PKB has been riddled with internal conflict since Gus Dur was ousted as the fourth president in 2001. Gus Dur dismissed then party chairman Matori Abdul Djalil, who backed his ouster as the president.

As PKB chief patron, Gus Dur also fired party chairman Alwi Shihab, who accepted Yudhoyono's appointment as the chief welfare minister in 2004. (alf)

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