One faction of the internally riven United Development Party conveyed its intention to reach an islah or reconciliation in a national meeting on Friday.

PPP secretary-general Muhammad Romahurmuzy said on Friday that the Islamic-based party aimed for "a complete reconciliation" that would unify the two opposing factions.

Romahurmuzy's camp, which claims its authority from a PPP national congress in Bandung, West Java, in Oct. 2011, opened a two-day national meeting at Pondok Gede Hajj Dormitory in East Jakarta on Friday.

The national meeting, attended by at least 1,000 members, will on Saturday collect and consider input from each provincial executive board in an attempt to find a solution to the party'€™s civil war.

"Disagreements aside, let us return to our founding principles," Romahurmuziy said in his opening speech.

Opposed to Romahurmuzy's camp is the faction led by Djan Faridz, who was elected chairman at the party's national congress in Jakarta in November 2014.

In early January the Law and Human Rights Ministry revoked a decree it had issued in March the previous year that recognized Romahurmuzy as PPP chairman.

However, minister Yasonna H. Laoly has yet to issue a decree recognizing one leadership or the other, despite a Supreme Court ruling recognizing Djan's leadership in November last year.

Djian'€™s camp was entirely absent from Friday'€™s meeting, having on Wednesday reported Romahurmuzy to the National Police, insisting that the legal PPP structure was that set up at the Jakarta congress.

Djan's camp declared its support for President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's administration in late January, jumping ship from the Gerindra Party-led opposition coalition.  (rin)

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