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Court freezes ministerial decree backing Romy's tenure
The Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN) has suspended a decree issued by the law and human rights minister that acknowledges Muhammad âRomyâ Romahurmuziy as the chairman of the United Development Party (PPP)
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T
he Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN) has suspended a decree issued by the law and human rights minister that acknowledges Muhammad 'Romy' Romahurmuziy as the chairman of the United Development Party (PPP).
In a court order made available to The Jakarta Post on Sunday, the court demanded that Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna H. Laoly 'suspend' his decree issued on Oct. 27 that recognized changes to the structure of the party's central board based on a decision made during a muktamar (national congress) in Surabaya to appoint Romy, previously the leader of a breakaway faction in the party, as its legitimate chairman.
Yasonna's decree, issued right after his inauguration as minister, has drawn controversy in the wake of a power struggle within the party.
It has also fueled a dispute over the current distribution of control in commissions and other internal bodies at the House of Representatives as the speakers, all from the Red-and-White Coalition, have challenged the decree and refused to recognize Romy's chairmanship.
'We order the defendant [Minister Yasonna] to temporarily suspend his decree ['¦] before the court makes a final and legally binding decision,' said the court order, which was signed by presiding judge Teguh Satya Bhakti on Friday.
Humphrey Djemat, the lawyer of Djan Faridz, the successor of Suryadharma Ali, who had led the party for the past five years, said Sunday that the minister should obey the court order and must not issue any other decrees related to the PPP before the court delivers its verdict.
'With the court order, Djan Faridz is the legitimate chairman of the PPP. All parties, including the government, the minister and Romy's camp must abide by this court order,' Humphrey told reporters at PPP headquarters in Central Jakarta.
The party's central board split into two factions after Suryadharma, then the party's chairman, decided to support defeated presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto and his Red-and-White Coalition ahead of July's presidential election.
- Decree had drawn controversy in wake of party power struggle
- Party had split into two factions prior to presidential election
On Oct. 16, the rival faction appointed Romy as party chairman at the Surabaya congress. The legitimacy of the Surabaya congress and Romy's leadership has been outlawed by internal bodies in the party.
Suryadharma held a national congress in Jakarta on Nov. 2 that named Djan Faridz the new chairman of the party. His camp has also filed a lawsuit to challenge the impromptu ministerial decree.
Djan said that it was the right time to end the ongoing dispute between the factions and he was ready to provide members of Romy's faction with positions on his central board.
'I thank God for the court order. Now, we will invite people from Romy's camp to join us,' he said.
Meanwhile, PPP's House faction deputy chief, Syaifullah Tamliha, said that the court's temporary decision did not automatically make Djan the legitimate PPP chairman.
Syaifullah, a Romy supporter, also emphasized that any dispute in the party's central board would not affect PPP's position to back President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo's Great Indonesia Coalition.
Romy's camp pledged allegiance to Jokowi's coalition after he was appointed chairman, resulting in party executive Lukman Hakim Saifuddin being appointed to Jokowi's Cabinet.
'Based on a House internal regulation, political positions of a party at the House are decided by its faction leader and not the party's central board. Therefore, we will stick with the Great Indonesia Coalition,' said Syaifullah.
He further said that he hoped the party factions in dispute would reconcile in the face of concurrent regional head elections in seven provinces and 181 regencies and cities in 2015.
'There will be regional elections next year that will need strong party coordination. As soon as we come together, we can prepare our strategy for the regional elections,' he said.
