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span class="inline inline-left">Anis Matta: (JP/Jerry Adiguna)The embattled Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) appointed its secretary-general, Anis Matta, as its new leader on Friday following the resignation of chairman, Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq, who is currently being held on corruption charges.

Chairman of the party’s Majelis Syuro (consultative council) Hilmi Aminuddin announced Anis’ selection at the party’s headquarters in South Jakarta after a prolonged meeting attended by party executives. Anis was picked over Hidayat Nur Wahid, who declined to take the job as he had served as party chairman before. Taufik Ridho will replace Anis as secretary-general.

Anis, who is also a House of Representatives deputy speaker, is expected to restore the party’s credibility in the wake of a corruption scandal analysts said would deal a major blow to the Islamic-based party ahead of the 2014 elections. He said he would resign from the House and would focus on his new role.

Analysts, however, have doubts whether Anis is up to the job due to his questionable track record. He was accused of complicity in a bribery case surrounding deliberations over the 2011 Regional Infrastructure Adjustment Fund (DPID).

Wa Ode Nurhayati, the main suspect in the case, accused him of abusing his power to smooth the graft-riddled disbursement of DPID funds totaling Rp 6.3 trillion (US$648.9 million). Anis, who was questioned by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in connection with the case, has always denied the allegations.

In 2011, Yusuf Supendi, one of the party’s founders, reported Anis and Luthfi to the House ethics council and to the KPK for alleged graft.

Yusuf accused Luthfi of misappropriating donations from the Middle East for his personal use when serving as the party’s treasurer and lashed out at Anis for allegedly embezzling Rp 10 billion from the Rp 40 billion campaign fund donated by Adang Daradjatun to the PKS during the previous Jakarta gubernatorial election.

Arbi Sanit of the University of Indonesia said the PKS had made an unwise decision in picking Anis as its new leader. Anis, he said, could drag the party down further if the KPK moved against him.

“This is a careless choice. The PKS didn’t think through such an elitist decision. I suspect that Anis is only a token made to secure support from prospective voters due to his influence among the party membership,” he said.

Yunarto Wijaya from Charta Politica said that as a young politician, Anis had the ability to unite the party and restore the morale of party members.

“As a young man, he [Anis] will be able to generate enthusiasm among the party rank and file,” he said.

However, Yunarto conceded that the fact that Anis was once implicated in a graft case might put the party’s reputation at greater risk.

Speaking to journalists after his election, Anis said a “conspiracy” was behind the arrest of Luthfi, who has been charged with accepting a Rp 1 billion bribe from two businessmen in exchange for a slot in the 2013 government-run beef importation program overseen by the Agriculture Ministry.

“What the PKS is facing now is a big conspiracy that aims to destroy the party,”he said.

Separately, the KPK said that it would question Agriculture Minister Suswono, who is also a PKS politician, in the case.

The minister, who claims to have no involvement in the graft case at his ministry, said he was ready to face questioning.

“If the KPK needs my testimony, I will cooperate,” he told a press conference at his office on Friday.