Ex-PDI Perjuangan leaders builds own party<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Weeks after his resignation from President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
\nPerjuangan), former legislator Dimyati Hartono established his
\nown political party on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The new party is to be called the Indonesian Motherland Party
\n(PITA).<\/p>\n
Hundreds of party members and supporters attended the founding
\nceremony at the Jakarta Hilton Convention Center in Central
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
\"The Party is open to all people without discrimination as
\nregards their ethnicity, religion, or class. We are founding this
\nparty to save the country from disintegration as many of today's
\nofficeholders lack a sense of crisis,\" said PITA Chairman
\nDimyati, a former member of the House of Representatives'
\nCommission II on Legal and Home Affairs.<\/p>\n
The party was officially founded by 60 people on Feb. 5, 2002,
\nwhen it was registered with the Ministry of Justice and Human
\nRights. The founders included secretary-general Granat W.
\nPartosudirjo and treasurer Edwin Sebayang.<\/p>\n
PITA aims to recruit young people as part of its effort \"to
\nget away from the decay of the old regime,\" Dimyati, one of PDI
\nPerjuangan founders, said.<\/p>\n
He had tried to seek the support of President Megawati's
\nsister Rachmawati Soekarnoputri, considered a potential vote-
\ngetter in the next general election.<\/p>\n
Dimyati resigned from both the House and the PDI Perjuangan in
\nFebruary due to worsening rifts and internal rivalry among party
\nleaders.<\/p>\n
Days before his resignation, another PDI Perjuangan politician
\nSophan Sophiaan quit from the People's Consultative Assembly and
\nthe House but maintained his membership of the PDI Perjuangan.<\/p>\n
PITA is the third political party launched in 2002. PPP of
\nReform, a splinter group from the Muslim-based United Development
\nParty (PPP), was launched in January by noted Muslim preacher
\nZainuddin M.Z., and the Indonesian Islamic Party (PII) in March.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
\nSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and economist Sjahrir of the New
\nIndonesia Alliance (PIB) are reportedly planning to set up
\npolitical parties to contest the 2004 presidential election.<\/p>",
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