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Gus Dur to join KPU office siege in Central Java

NU Online  ·  Senin, 8 September 2008 | 21:08 WIB

Jakarta, NU Online
The National Awakening Party (PKB) executives in Central Java on Monday said Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid would join a siege at the region's General Election Commission (KPU) office on Tuesday.

"We have contacted him and Gus Dur has scheduled his presence for Tuesday," said Yusuf Chudlori, chief executive of PKB in Central Java, as quoted by Antara news agency.<>

Gus Dur supporters besieged the office since Monday noon and in the evening Yusuf decided to dismiss them.

"In accordance with the regulation, such a rally should be over before evening. That's why we decided to go home," he said.

Gus Dur's supporters across the archipelago reacted differently to the PKB chief patron and co-founder's order to his followers to besiege election commission offices across the country.

His supporters in East Kalimantan, Maluku, and some in East Java chose not to react to his order to keep public order. Some supporters, however, decided to picket KPU offices in Banten and Riau.

Gus Dur said the move would deter the General Elections Commission (KPU) from recognizing a rival faction as the official representative of the party that was split into two following an internal dispute.

The move came after the Jakarta State Administrative Court ordered the KPU to postpone a decree recognizing the PKB faction led by Gus Dur's rival Muhaimin Iskandar as an official contender in the 2009 legislative elections.

The PKB, the fifth-largest faction in the House of Representatives, has been embroiled in a protracted internal conflict, which began earlier this year when Gus Dur dismissed Muhaimin as party leader. Muhaimin, who is Gus Dur's nephew, challenged the decision.

Both camps held separate extraordinary meetings in early May. Muhaimin's camp renamed the House deputy speaker as the party chairman and elected Azis Mansyur as the party's chief patron. Gus Dur's camp reelected the former president as the chief patron, with Ali Masykur Musa elected the new party chairman. (jp/dar)