Multiparty pools offer vast range of choices<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia will formally end the long-established
\ntriparty election system once the government-sanctioned
\nverification team, better known as the Team of Eleven, completes
\nits duty in the coming few days.<\/p>\n
More than 140 parties have met administrative requirements,
\nbut it is expected that only less than one third of them will be
\neligible for the June 7 polls.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post lists eight of political parties with a great
\nchance of qualifying and earning the lion's share of votes in the
\nfirst elections since the fall of New Order regime under Soeharto
\nin May last year.<\/p>\n
Partai Keadilan (Justice Party), is an apparently elitist
\nparty which brings together Muslim intellectuals. Its existence
\nwas declared by 48 people who are widely known as Muslim scholars
\nrather than activists of a political party on Aug. 9, 1998 at the
\nAl Azhar Grand Mosque in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"We want Islam to become our identity,\" Dr. Nur Mahmudi
\nIsmail, the party president, said. But the party is open to non-
\nMuslim people, according to him.<\/p>\n
The party was set up due to concerns about the lack of justice
\nand moral conduct in the country during the last two regimes.<\/p>\n
It aims to struggle for justice and prosperity for all
\nIndonesian citizens, to establish a civil society in which
\nMuslims play the key role, develop professionalism at all levels
\nand contribute to world culture.<\/p>\n
Despite the fact that the party chooses Islam as its ideology,
\nIsmail denies that it has set a target of establishing an Islamic
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
Having spread to all provinces but East Timor and Central
\nKalimantan, the party hopes to win between 10 and 15 percent of
\nvotes in the upcoming elections.<\/p>\n
Partai Kebangkitan Bangsa (People's Awakening Party) is being
\ntouted to restore the past fame of the peasant-oriented Nahdlatul
\nUlama (NU) as a leading Islamic party in the country. With NU's
\ncharismatic leader Abdurrahman Wahid playing the inspirational
\nrole, the PKB is expected to emerge as one of the pacemakers in
\nthe June elections.<\/p>\n
Its chairman, Matori Abdul Djalil, said recently that should
\nthe party win the coming polls, it would first of all work on
\n\" reconciliation among the nation's various components.\"<\/p>\n
\"The nation needs its harmony and unity restored,\" Matori
\nsaid, addressing thousands of party sympathizers in a function in
\nBandarlampung on Feb. 13.<\/p>\n
The party was declared open to people of various religious
\nbackgrounds and with Abdurrahman's close linkage to Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri, chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan), it has quickly gained popularity
\nparticularly among people who are longing for democracy.<\/p>\n
PKB has named Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, its
\npresidential candidate. It is expected that the PKB will join
\nforces with the PDI Perjuangan in a bid to complete the sweeping
\nreforms in the country.<\/p>\n
PDI for Struggle has proved itself a real political power
\nalthough it was prevented from contesting the 1997 elections.<\/p>\n
With Megawati Soekarnoputri, daughter of Indonesia's founding
\npresident Sukarno, at the helm, the party is widely favored to
\nwin the most votes in the June elections mainly because it
\nsymbolizes the persistent challenge of people who have long
\nsuffered from political repression.<\/p>\n
Megawati was ousted as PDI chairwoman in a breakaway congress
\nbacked by the government in 1996, presumably due to fears that
\nthe party had emerged as a serious contender to the ruling party
\nGolkar.<\/p>\n
Now taking a raging bull as its new mascot, the party still
\nboasts nationalism as its ideal. A number of retired high ranking
\nmilitary officers and noted scholars have added to its firepower.<\/p>\n
The party secretary general, Alex Litaay, said recently it had
\nbranch offices in all 27 provinces and 312 districts across the
\ncountry. Alex estimated the party supporters at 30 million, nine
\nmillion of whom are registered as members.<\/p>\n
Alex said the party would aim to maintain political freedom,
\nestablish the rule of law, give extensive autonomy to the
\nprovinces, and bring about a fair and prosperous society. It will
\nalso campaign for Megawati as president.<\/p>\n
Partai Amanat Nasional (National Mandate Party) is tipped as
\nanother favorite to win the June elections, thanks in part to its
\nsolid think-tank which comprises renowned intellectuals and its
\nenergetic and outspoken chairman Amien Rais.<\/p>\n
Amien was intensively involved in the May 1998 reform students
\nmovement which ousted long-serving president Soeharto. Amien
\nremains a government critic now that the President B.J. Habibie
\nadministration looks lethargic in handling Soeharto's alleged
\ncorruption.<\/p>\n
The party declares itself an open organization, although it is
\napparent that it expects massive support from Muhammadiyah, a
\nMuslim organization formerly chaired by Amien.<\/p>\n
PAN claims itself to be a vanguard of democracy and says it
\nstrives for a civil society, which requires, among other things,
\nthe eventual elimination of the Armed Forces' (ABRI)
\nsociopolitical roles. Amien demanded that the next House of
\nRepresentatives allocate 15 seats to ABRI, but to no avail. The
\nnew Political Law says ABRI will have 38 House seats, about half
\nof its current share.<\/p>\n
The party has nominated Amien its presidential candidate and
\nsaid it is prepared to form a coalition with other democracy-
\norientated parties.<\/p>\n
Partai Golongan Karya (Golkar) is struggling to make a
\ncomplete break with the past, but remains upbeat about its
\nchances in the upcoming elections. Having been used as a vehicle
\nby Soeharto to stay in power for three decades, Golkar may avoid
\nan embarrassing defeat thanks to the huge number of parties
\ncontesting the polls.<\/p>\n
According to political scientist Amien Rais, Golkar will need
\nonly to win 20 percent of the votes to stay in power, assuming
\nthat the rest of the votes are spread among the welter of rival
\nparties. With an anticipated 10 to 20 parties eligible to contest
\nthe elections, no single party is capable of winning a majority
\nof votes.<\/p>\n
To woo potential voters, the beleaguered Golkar is pondering
\nmaking itself an independent, proreform party. Many saw the
\nappointment of respected human rights activist Marzuki Darusman
\nas chairman of the Golkar faction in the People's Consultative
\nAssembly as part of its efforts to maintain the public's faith.<\/p>\n
And despite its fast waning popularity, Golkar is financially
\nthe strongest with at least Rp 17 billion (US$1.4 million) in its
\ncoffers.<\/p>\n
Its chairman Akbar Tandjung predicted recently that Golkar
\nwould gain 40 percent of votes, despite losing traditional
\nsupport from civil servants who are now banned from alligning
\nthemselves to any political party.<\/p>\n
Partai Persatuan Pembangunan (United Development Party) has
\nreturned to its old shape as an Islamic party. With many parties
\nchoosing Islam as their philosophy, PPP will face an uphill test
\nto maintain its traditional supporters.<\/p>\n
Under new chairman Hamzah Haz, who is also Minister of
\nInvestment, the party has preserved its status as an \"opposition\"
\nparty.<\/p>\n
In the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Special Session in
\nNovember last year, PPP made a public apology for lacking the
\nguts to oppose the New Order regime. And to make amends for its
\npast mistakes, it pushed for the MPR to pass an exclusive
\nanticorruption ruling which targeted former president Soeharto.<\/p>\n
The attempt failed, although the MPR unanimously resolved that
\nSoeharto's alleged wrongdoings during his 32-year reign would not
\nbe exempted from the national anticorruption, collusion and
\nnepotism drive.<\/p>\n
PPP also reacted strongly to a controversial conversation
\nbetween President B.J. Habibie and Attorney General Andi M.
\nGhalib which was leaked to the press. Both men were heard
\ndiscussing the ongoing probe into Soeharto's alleged corruption,
\nwhich many viewed as a half-hearted move.<\/p>\n
The party's faction at the House of Representatives urged the
\nlegislative body to summon the President to clarify the
\nconversation he did not deny, but other factions found it
\nunnecessary.<\/p>\n
PPP will continue to campaign for moral values, justice,
\nsocial welfare and democracy. It expects to win up to 20 percent
\nof votes in the polls.<\/p>\n
Partai Bulan Bintang (Crescent Star Party) groups
\nintellectuals who come from 22 Muslim organizations and is
\npredicted to become a dark horse to watch, apart from PAN, in the
\nJune elections.<\/p>\n
The party constantly appeals for reconciliation among the
\ncountry's diversified parties in order to put an end to
\npolitical, religious and racial conflicts that have marked the
\nbeginning of the reform era.<\/p>\n
Party chairman Yusril Ihza Mahendra, a noted constitutional
\nlaw professor, unveiled recently that it would target Muslim
\nclerics at pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) as potential
\nvoters in the June polls.<\/p>\n
PBB, which has already set up chapters in 327 regencies over
\n27 provinces, also expects to gain support from sympathizers of
\nMasjumi, a leading Muslim party which was banned by president
\nSukarno in 1960s.<\/p>\n
Partai Keadilan and Persatuan (Justice and Unity Party) is
\nbuilt by former Armed Forces and Golkar members who claim to be
\ncommitted to starting a new life as vanguards of democracy and
\nnational unity.<\/p>\n
It names former Army chief of staff and minister of defense
\nEdi Sudradjat its initial chairman. Former noted Golkar cadres,
\nincluding Rachmat Witoelar, Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, Hayono Isman
\nand Siswono Yudohusodo, join the party to add to its firepower.<\/p>\n
It remains unclear whether former vice president Try Sutrisno,
\na close colleague to the party figures. will follow suit.<\/p>\n
Edi says the party aims to improve people's welfare by
\nproviding more jobs.<\/p>\n
As for its presidential candidate, PKP has named Edi its
\nchoice. Edi said recently he was prepared to contest the
\npresidency. (team)<\/p>",
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