PIB ponders coalition with Muslim parties<\/p>\n
A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Overshadowed by lack of popular support, several tiny political
\nparties look set to cooperate in the 2004 General Election, an
\neconomist turned politician said on Monday.<\/p>\n
The parties in question are the Justice Party (PK), the United
\nDevelopment Party of Reform (PPP Reformasi), the Crescent Star
\nParty (PBB), the Nation's Democratic Party (PDB) and the soon-to-
\nbe established New Indonesia Party (PIB). The first three are
\nMuslim-based parties.<\/p>\n
\"A date has been set for a meeting, which will materialize in
\nthe near future,\" Sjahrir, who chairs the Alliance for New
\nIndonesia, the embryo of the new party PIB, said in a press
\nconference here.<\/p>\n
The press conference was held to assess the performance of the
\ncurrent government over the past year.<\/p>\n
The alliance, a rainbow social-political grouping, is slated
\nto declare itself a political party on Sept. 23.<\/p>\n
Sjahrir said it was too early to ascertain a coalition of the
\nparties during the meeting.<\/p>\n
\"The meeting is merely aimed at discussing a strategy ahead of
\nthe 2004 General Election,\" said Sjahrir. \"But it will be useful
\nto strengthen ties among the political parties. If closer ties
\ncould be maintained, it would be easy for us to form a coalition
\nbefore the general election.\"<\/p>\n
Sjahrir had earlier expressed interest in joining forces with
\nPPP Reformasi, which is chaired by popular preacher Zainuddin
\nM.Z.<\/p>\n
The coalition could be seen as an anticipatory move to the
\nprospective political party law, which restricts the next
\nelection to parties that have won at least 2 percent of votes or
\n10 seats in the House of Representatives in the 1999 election.
\nThose parties will be asked to coalesce or form new parties to
\ncontest the election.<\/p>\n
If the law is passed by the House by the end of the year at
\nthe latest, PBB and PK will be barred from participating in the
\nnext general election.<\/p>\n
Sjahrir said he was doubtful if PIB could win enough votes to
\nwin House seats, saying the prospective party had no prominent
\nindividuals who could attract votes.<\/p>",
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