A disagreement over who was elected chairman of the United Development Party's Papua branch at a meeting last weekend was brought to the attention of the police on Monday.
Muchdi Purwoprandjono, who claimed he won the chairmanship for the 2011-2016 period at last Saturday's meeting, lodged an official police report against party chairman and religious affairs minister Suryadharma Ali, deputy secretary general Romahurmuzy and board members Emron Pangkapi and Husnan Bey Fananie.
Suryadharma announced last week that Muchdi's rival, Bachtiar Gaffar, had won the vote after receiving the backing of 13 district branches, against nine for Muchdi, while Muchdi was adamant that he had won the post.
"Police should charge [Suryadharma] under the criminal code for libel, defamation and unpleasant conduct," said Muchdi's lawyer, Eggi Sudjana.
Eggi alleged that Suryadharma had denied Muchdi's victory in Papua because he was concerned about Muchdi’s reported ambition to lead the party, known as the PPP.
Last week, Muchdi demanded that Suryadharma issue a formal decision recognizing him as the Papua chairman of the party. But Suryadharma said his decision was final.
Muchdi left the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) in February to join the Islamist PPP. A former deputy head of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), he was acquitted of the murder of human rights activist Munir Said Thalib in 2009.