Parties fail the people: Minister<\/p>\n
JAKARTA: Many political parties had been established in recent
\nyears with the only goal of satisfying the selfish interests of
\ntheir founders rather than the people's welfare, a cabinet
\nminister said.<\/p>\n
National Development Planning Minister Kwik Kian Gie said on
\nWednesday that too much politicking would only lead the country
\ninto political chaos.<\/p>\n
"Political leaders must become statesmen instead of
\npoliticians. They must stop playing politics because it can
\nadversely impact a wide range of people," Kwik said at the
\nopening of a panel discussion on democracy consolidation here on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
Over 230 political parties have registered with the Justice
\nand Human Rights Ministry. They had all vowed to participate in
\nthe 2004 general elections.<\/p>\n
Golkar member Bomer Pasaribu and Justice and Unity Party
\nleader Samuel Samson concurred with Kwik and stressed that
\npeople's increasing distrust in political parties needed special
\nattention.<\/p>\n
Fachry Hamzah of the Justice Party (PK), meanwhile, accused
\nthe Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle and Golkar of being
\npower-greedy by backing moves to limit the number of presidential
\ncandidates in 2004 election to parties or coalitions that get at
\nleast 20 percent of the legislative candidates.<\/p>\n
Fachry was referring to the presidential election bill which
\nstates that only political parties or coalitions garnering at
\nleast 20 percent of House seats would be allowed to nominate
\ncandidates for the presidential election. --JP<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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