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span class="caption" style="width: 245px;">Fahri HamzahOnce seen as a “clean” Islamic party led by young, urban and devout professionals, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) is now perceived by some as another practitioner of dirty politics.

The PKS, the country’s largest Islamic political party and a member of the ruling coalition, is again embroiled in controversy following President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s Cabinet reshuffle.

Party leaders were perturbed by Yudhoyono’s decision to fire PKS member Suharna Surapranata as research and technology minister, which observers said was done in retribution for the PKS’ repeated departures from the coalition’s line in the House of Representatives.

Despite threats from PKS secretary-general Anis Matta to disclose backroom dealings with Yudhoyono if PKS ministers were fired, the President replaced Suharna with Gusti Muhammad Hatta, who handed his job as Environment Minister to a nonpolitical appointee, Balthasar Kambuaya, the rector of Cendrawasih University in Papua.

PKS leaders are considering withdrawing from the coalition and pulling its three remaining ministers from the Cabinet. Such a move, coming after a series of graft and sex scandals and its ministers’ mediocre performance in the Cabinet, will likely further tarnish the image of the Islamic party.

PKS supporter Fardis Amir, 60, who voted for the party in the past two elections, said that he was seriously considering switching sides because he was disappointed with the PKS lately as many of its politicians were fake.

Losing a minister, Fardis said, proved that the party had failed to perform.

Nugraha Sang Surya, the son of a PKS supporter, said the bad behaviors evinced by several PKS politicians was “shameful”. “They have left their original image of a clean party. Clean is supposed to mean clean from any scandals including corruption, pornography, as well as bad temper,” he said. “I won’t give my support to them ever again.”

Several PKS lawmakers have been reviled for inappropriate behavior, including lawmaker Fahri Hamzah, who attacked the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on several talk shows, describing the KPK as a “super-body” that was incompatible with democracy.

Fahri also called for the dissolution of the KPK when meeting top law enforcement officials, which critics said was done in defense of colleagues on the House budget committee who were implicated in a high-profile corruption case currently under investigation by the KPK.

Another PKS legislator, Arifinto, resigned after he was caught red-handed watching pornography during a House session, while PKS lawmaker Muhammad Misbakhun was sent to prison for fraud.

Not all PKS supporters, however, think the party has fallen from grace.

Ahmad Dahlan said the party’s image was not deteriorating. “Despite critics who have put it in a tight corner and despite losing one minister at the new Cabinet, I will stick with the party,” he said.

The 25-year-old, however, added that the party should leave the coalition should it fail to carry out its commitments.

Fardis agreed, saying that it would best if the party ditched the coalition. “Just leave the coalition. The PKS must act firmly. It does not need to pursue power within the system,” he said. “The PKS must restore its initial function for the people as a moral guardian.”

Cahyadi Takariawan, a respected member of the PKS advisory council, said that the council would soon determine its stance following the reshuffle. (rpt)