TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Suryadharma Ali was dismissed by the United Development Party (PPP) Executive Board at a meeting that went on from Tuesday evening into the wee hours of Wednesday. The party board has decided to install Emron Pangkapi, as acting chairman.

"To avoid further harm, PPP executive board has decided to replace Mr. Suryadharma Ali with Mr. Emron Pangkapi as chairman of PPP," said PPP's Secretary General Romahurmuziy, after the meeting at PPP headquarters in the early hours of Wednesday.

According to Romi, as Romahurmuziy is known, the mechanism for dismissing a board member is outlined in Article 10 of PPP's constitution. He went on to say that central and regional cadres were concerned that Suryadharma's status as a suspect in a corruption case has defamed the party.

"Today, the executive board has legally and legitimately dismissed [Suryadharma]," said Romi.

Suryadharma Ali, who were present in the meeting, had stressed that the board is convening to discuss the technical details of the upcoming PPP national conference, which he had proposed for October 22, 2014.

Later however, Suryadharma left the meeting early and admitted to the press that there are factions within PPP that wants the board to move and dismiss him as chairman.

ANTARANEWS