New PNI says it targets young people<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian National Unity (the new PNI), one
\nof the latest mass organizations to have emerged in recent
\nmonths, declared yesterday that it is targeting the young
\ngeneration rather than former supporters of the Indonesian
\nNationalist Party (old PNI) which was disbanded in 1973.<\/p>\n
Mrs. Supeni, a former diplomat who chairs the new PNI, told
\nreporters in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, that her organization is
\nnot counting on former supporters of the old PNI, because their
\nnumber is relatively small, Antara reported.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian National Unity was established this year and
\nits founders were all identified with the disbanded Indonesian
\nNationalist Party, which has prompted the local media to dub it
\nthe new PNI.<\/p>\n
The old PNI was one of the largest political parties in the
\n1950s and 1960s and had provided Indonesia's first president
\nSukarno with his main political support.<\/p>\n
Its power waned with the decline of Sukarno from power in the
\nlate 1960s. It was ordered to merge with other nationalist forces
\nand Christian parties to form the Indonesian Democratic Party
\n(PDI) in 1973. The PDI is now chaired by Megawati Soekarnoputri,
\nthe daughter of the late Sukarno.<\/p>\n
The new PNI was launched in October, with Mrs. Supeni, a
\nroving ambassador during Sukarno's administration, as its leader.<\/p>\n
Mrs. Supeni yesterday attended a seminar on the national
\npolitical agenda for the next 50 years which was organized by the
\nCenter for Information and Development Studies, a think tank
\ngroup under the powerful Association of Indonesian Moslem
\nIntellectuals.<\/p>\n
She said the objective of her organization is to instill a
\nsense of nationalism and unity among the young generation.<\/p>\n
The new PNI is not a resurrection of the old PNI, she said.<\/p>\n
"We have our own statutes and rules that are different", she
\nsaid, adding that one was a political party, while the other is a
\nmass organization.<\/p>\n
The "new Parkindo" also used the Bukittinggi seminar yesterday
\nto explain its existence, with its chairman stressing that it has
\nno intention of reviving the old Indonesian Christian Party, of
\nwhich the acronym was also Parkindo.<\/p>\n
The old Parkindo in 1973 was also merged into PDI.<\/p>\n
The new Parkindo, founded by figures associated with the old
\nparty, stands for the Indonesian Christian Participation.<\/p>\n
Sabam Sirait, the legislator for PDI who heads the new
\nParkindo organization, denied that his group is an embryo of an
\nold party.<\/p>\n
Sabam said the new Parkindo is looking more to its future
\nrather than its past. "It's true that we cannot break from our
\npast, but we must not be bound by our past either."<\/p>\n
The new Parkindo, he added, has been active in organizing
\ndiscussions, seminars and other activities, and will forge
\ncooperation with other mass organizations, including the Center
\nfor Information and Development Studies.<\/p>\n
He denied the suggestion that the emergence of new
\norganizations, including Parkindo, reflected people's discontent
\nat the performance of the three political parties.<\/p>\n
"There may be some discontent, but why should this be the
\nburden of mass organizations?" he asked.<\/p>\n
On the political agenda, Sabam said one of the problems
\nIndonesia is facing now is in forging democracy.<\/p>\n
"If we don't solve this problem, we will fall behind other
\ncountries and will lose respect," he said. (emb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/new-pni-says-it-targets-young-people-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}