Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Justice Minister Yasonna Laoly issued an official decree here on Monday confirming the legitimacy of the Golkar Partys executive board under Agung Laksonos leadership, despite protest from a rival camp led by Aburizal Bakrie.

"It is true. The decree was issued at 10 A.M. this morning," Director of Administrative and Constitutional Law Tenan Sitepu stated.

"All of the requirements have been cleared. On March 17, we received the notarial act; and on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, we checked them all and found no problem," he added.

Sitepu admitted that although the ministerial decree was finished on Friday, it could not be announced immediately because of the inauguration of a number of echelon 1 officials at the office on the same day.

On March 10, the justice minister recognized the Laksono-led executive board set up during a congress in Ancol, Jakarta, which was held in response to an earlier congress in Bali that Laksono considered illegitimate. The Bali congress had named incumbent leader Aburizal Bakrie as the Golkar Partys leader.

Following the division, a party tribunal was formed to settle the issue. While two judges favored Laksono, two others remained indecisive.

Following the tribunals decision, the Laksono camp registered its new board at the Ministry of Justice and was approved as legitimate.

The Golkar Party finished second in last years general elections after the Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle successfully led Joko Widodo to become the countrys new president.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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