Is it possible to found a new party in Indonesia?<\/p>\n
Talks about the need for a new political party have again
\nresurfaced recently following the widely publicized congress of
\nthe Moslem-oriented United Development Party (PPP). Political
\nscientist Nazaruddin Sjamsuddin argues that there is no need for
\na new party if it will only serve a few of the elite.<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Having failed to seize the leadership of the
\nUnited Development Party (PPP) recently, a number of influential
\nkiai (religious leaders) of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) have said
\nthey would turn their organization into a political party. This
\nis an interesting phenomenon although it is not my intention to
\ncomment on this particular issue here. Rather, the question I
\nwant to comment on concerns the possibility of a new political
\nparty being born in Indonesia. Are we permitted to have one, do
\nwe need a new political party?<\/p>\n
In one of its decrees, the People's Consultative Assembly
\n(MPR) specifies that Indonesia shall have three social-political
\norganizations -- one functional grouping (Golongan Karya or
\nGolkar) and two political parties. It is thus obvious that from
\nthis point of view any addition to the number of political
\nparties must be preceded by the amendment of the MPR decree in
\nquestion.<\/p>\n
This implies that if the kiai in the NU, or in any other
\npolitical grouping for that matter, wish to form a new party,
\nsuch a party cannot be formed forthwith. The reason is that
\nbefore such a step can be taken a General Session of the People's
\nConsultative Assembly must be called. That again implies that
\nthey must wait until March 1998. Beyond this agenda a special
\nsession of the MPR must be assembled.<\/p>\n
However, do we need a new political party? Before I answer
\nthis question it may be appropriate for me to ask the following
\none: Who would need this new party? This latter question brings
\nus to yet another one: How many more parties do we need?<\/p>\n
On the one hand, it should be clear from the aforementioned
\nobservations that those who at present aspire for the creation of
\na new party are politicians who are dissatisfied with our current
\nparty system. They are dissatisfied because the prevailing system
\ndoes not allow them to establish themselves in accordance with
\ntheir own aspirations.<\/p>\n
The kiai of the NU fall into this category of politicians.
\nAside from them, there are others who are similarly disappointed.
\nA number of these latter politicians have already openly
\nexpressed their desire to form a new party. Others, although
\ntheir ambitions are not openly expressed, are equally ready to
\nform a new party if the opportunity should arise.<\/p>\n
It is thus clear that the number of political parties that
\ncould be formed is more than one since the politicians who desire
\na new party would not be able to restrain themselves and form
\njust one. This is due to the prevalence of widely diverging
\ninterests among those groups.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, it is also quite clear that those who are
\nat present demanding a new party are members of the political
\nelite and their supporters, only. In this case their personal
\nambitions appear to prevail over their desire to attend to the
\ninterests of the people at large. It was in fact precisely this
\nfailure to acquire a political forum to serve their ambitions
\nthat moved them into demanding a new party. I fear they could be
\npolitical adventurers, like some others who are to be found in
\nthe PPP, Golkar or the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) as well.<\/p>\n
From the point of view of the interests of the people at
\nlarge, especially those living in rural areas, the question of
\nforming a new party is actually not at all that important. Even
\nif a new political party should emerge their fate would probably
\nremain largely unchanged. They would still be in the position of
\nmerely serving the political elite and no more.<\/p>\n
Of more fundamental concern to the common people is whether
\ntheir aspirations can be adequately conveyed. If their interests
\ncould be genuinely protected, then a new party could hold meaning
\nfor them. On the other hand if such a party served only as a
\nvehicle to convey the aspirations and the interests of the elite,
\nall this would bring them no gain whatsoever. It could even be
\nthat their fate would be put in the balance as the politicians
\npursue their own political ambitions.<\/p>\n
Personally, I tend to hold the view that it would be better to
\nimprove the present party system rather than to demolish it by
\nforming a new party. The idea of a simple system should be
\nmaintained, at least until Indonesia's economic basis has become
\ngenuinely solid. Moreover, a small number of parties can indeed
\nreduce the chances of political conflict.<\/p>\n
Naturally, these arguments are made on the assumption that
\nwhat we need at present are political organizations that
\nfunction, inside the House of Representatives (DPR) and outside.
\nIf the existing parties, including Golkar, are functioning
\nproperly as a means to channel the people's aspirations, then
\nthere is no reason for us to form a new party.<\/p>\n
Apart from all this, nominations or mutations in the
\nleadership of political organizations should also be carried out
\nopenly. Assuredly, this would quell the desire of the political
\nelite to abandon any given party and create one of their own. The
\nquestion is, is this possible?<\/p>\n
The writer is a lecturer in political science at the
\nUniversity of Indonesia.<\/p>",
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