PKB dismisses Muhaimin Iskandar as party chairman

Jakarta, NU Online
The National Awakening Party (PKB) will hold an extraordinary congress to appoint a new party chairman after Muhaimin Iskandar was removed from the position at a plenary meeting of the party`s central executive board on Wednesday night, a party official said.

"Based on Article 23 of the party`s internal rules, a congress-appointed chairman can only be substituted by someone who is also elected through a congress. Therefore, the PKB has to hold an extraordinary congress (to replace Muhaimin)," former PKB associate chairman Muhammad Mahfud MD said here on Thursday (27/3).<>

However, the vacancy in the PKB leadership could be filled in by an acting chairman who would take over the post for three months until an extraordinary congress is held, Mahfud added.

A plenary meeting of the PKB`s executive board on Wednesday night decided through a voting mechanism to dismiss Mumaimin Iskandar as the party chairman. In the vote, 20 of the 30 PKB executive board members present asked Muhaimin to resign from his post.

As reported by Antara, the meeting was also attended by the chairman of the party`s Syura Council (lawmaking body), Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) and Muhaimin Iskandar himself.

Mahfud said the party executive board`s plenary meeting was convened at the request of Abdurrahman Wahid in response to a report he had received that Muhaimin was planning to hold an extraordinary congress.

Mahfud quoted Wahid as saying that Muhaimin`s intention to orgnanize an extraordinary congress meant that Muhaimin was willing to put his popularity as party chairman to the test.

Mahfud said that the plenary session offered three options: the party should hold an extraordinary congress, Gus Dur would fully control the party (if the extraordinary congress was not held) and Muhaimin should resign.

Gus Dur and Muhaimin did not take part in the vote at Wednesday night`s party executive board plenary meeting. (dar)