PPP luminary urges reconciliation

JAKARTA. United Development Party (PPP) sharia assembly chief Maimun Zubair has called for reconciliation in an ongoing internal struggle pitting sides led by party chairman Suryadharma Ali and secretary-general Romahurmuziy against each other.

“What has happened recently has tainted the party’s image. The current conflict doesn’t represent Islamic values at all,” respected party luminary Maimun said on Tuesday as quoted by tribunnews.com.

He said reconciliation should begin with each leader allowing the other to remain in his position. Both Suryadharma and Romahurmuziy have recently attempted to oust each other from the party's leadership.

Maimun also said the party should wait to form a coalition with another political party until it had made a united decision during a national leadership meeting to be held soon. Accordingly, he recommended withdrawing a pledge of support made by Suryadharma on behalf of the party to Gerindra Party presidential hopeful Prabowo Subianto. Romahurmuziy's faction had opposed the pledge and characterized it as illegitimate.

Commenting on Maimun's recommendation, party chairman Suryadharma Ali said he could agree to annul the putative coalition with Gerindra.(dic)