Some executives of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) have said that the party was considering leaving the government coalition as the party struggles to cope with the fall out of the beef import scandal.
"I really want the PKS leave the coalition," PKS deputy secretary general Fahri Hamzah said on Thursday.
Fahri, however, denied that the idea to leave the coalition was connected to the Corruption Eradication Commission's (KPK) investigation into graft surrounding the government's procurement of imported beef and live cattle. Former PKS chairman Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq and his close aide, Ahmad Fathanah, have been named suspects in the case.
Senior PKS lawmaker Hidayat Nur Wahid said that the idea to leave the ruling coalition was proposed during the party's last advisory council meeting. One of the council's members, Tifatul Sembiring, who is also the Communication and Information Technology minister, said he would follow through with whatever the council decided on regarding PKS' coalition membership.
Politicians from other coalition parties gave mixed reactions.
Syariefuddin Hasan, the executive chairman of Yudhoyono's Democratic Party, suggested for the PKS to not make any emotionally driven decisions.
Lawmaker Ahmad Yani from the United Development Party (PPP) said the PKS had the right to leave the coalition. "If they decide to do so, go ahead. The PPP is empathetic to what the PKS is going through," he said.
source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/05/24/pks-mulls-quitting-coalition-government.html
