T

he State High Administrative Court (PTTUN) ruled on Friday that Agung Laksono is the legal chairman of the conflicted Golkar Party, overturning a previous lower court decision that granted the party leadership to his rival Aburizal Bakrie.

'€œPTTUN has just approved the legality of Agung Laksono'€™s leadership over Golkar, annulling the decision of the Jakarta State Administrative Court [PTUN],'€ Agung camp spokesman Leo Nababan said.

The latest court ruling was delivered in response to an appeal filed by Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna H. Laoly against the lower court decision.

Early in May, the PTUN decided to invalidate the decree of the law and human rights minister that endorsed Agung'€™s leadership of the party.

Responding to the court ruling, Agung said that he now has solid control over the party.

'€œNow that the court has validated our position, we have a strong legal basis,'€ Agung told reporters.

In spite of the victory, Agung said that he would continue holding talks with Aburizal'€™s camp, but Agung insisted that he would have the sole authority to decide which candidates who would contest the local elections.

'€œWith or without the reconciliation, I can go it alone in nominating the candidates,'€ he said.

Responding to the ruling, Aburizal said he would file an appeal to the Supreme Court.

'€œWe will go to the Supreme Court. I am sure that the right will win the day,'€ Aburizal said.

The latest court ruling, issued only two weeks before the General Election Commission (KPU) is to wrap up the registration period for candidates in the local elections, would allow Agung to endorse which candidates could run in the polls.

A KPU regulation obliges every central board committee of a political party to submit a Law and Human Rights ministerial decree recognizing its leadership.

A political party with a split leadership should submit a final and binding court ruling to recognize its official leader, or the election committee would refer to the most recent ministerial decree issued on the matter.

Now with the validation from PTTUN, the Golkar Party is able to submit a list of candidates for regional head positions to the KPU for the simultaneous local elections scheduled on Dec. 9.

Golkar is expected to submit the list to the Provincial General Elections Commission (KPUD) during the registration period from July 26 to 28.

Party Spokesman Leo Nababan said that the party had already been selecting the candidates for the local elections.

'€œThe candidates in 34 provinces have already undergone fit and proper tests and would be given approval by the selection team headed by Agung Laksono,'€ he said, adding that he was one of the members of the selection team in North Sumatra.

The party'€™s provincial branch has already submitted 78 candidates to Agung in recent weeks.

Meanwhile, the same court issued another ruling that endorsed the leadership of Muhammad Romahurmuziy over the United Development Party (PPP).

'€œThis court ruled to annul the verdict of the Jakarta State Administrative Court [PTUN] issued on Feb. 25, 2015,'€ the PTTUN ruling said.

In its February ruling, the PTUN also invalidated Yasonna'€™s decree to recognize the leadership of Romahurmuziy and gave the party leadership to his rival Djan Faridz, once a minister under then president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Like in the Golkar Party, PPP elites split this year over disagreements surrounding a number of issues, including the organizing of a succession via a national congress, which is held once every five years.

Failure to find a resolution for the leadership conflict would also disqualify the PPP from contesting the regional elections.

'€œFrom now on, PPP leadership is under my direction. All should be united under my lead,'€ said Romahurmuziy. (rbk)