Two more political parties established yesterday<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Nearly 10,000 Moslems gathered at the Al Azhar
\nGrand Mosque yesterday to mark the birth of the Justice Party
\nestablished by a group of young intellectuals.<\/p>\n
Boasting the support of student groups in 21 provinces, the
\nnew party -- which can be added to an already long list of 56
\nparties created over the past three months -- promised to strive
\nto find ways to help the nation out of the crisis.<\/p>\n
\"The people are now facing a food crisis, massive unemployment
\nand poverty,\" said party president Nurmahmudi Ismail, a 37-year-
\nold researcher at the Agency for the Assessment and Application
\nof Technology and a PhD graduate from Texas A&M University.<\/p>\n
\"Bold steps are needed to solve the problems,\" he told his
\naudience from various cities. He spoke little of party programs,
\nbut promised to outline them later, including a plan for the
\nestablishment of food crisis centers.<\/p>\n
Founded by 48 largely unknown activists, many of whom hold
\ndoctorates, the party made a special call on the country's Moslem
\nmajority to bear the bulk of responsibility to restore
\nIndonesia's reputation in the international community.<\/p>\n
Among the party's supporters are the Moslem Students Action
\nFront (KAMMI), whose activists were involved in student
\ndemonstrations to pressure former president Soeharto to resign
\nearlier this year.<\/p>\n
Party executive Hidayat Nurwahid said the party -- which
\npromised to be open to people from any religious background --
\nwould also serve as a social lever, and would closely watch
\nPresident B.J. Habibie's administration and the Armed Forces.<\/p>\n
At almost the same time yesterday, noted lawyer R.O. Tambunan
\ndeclared the establishment of the People's Sovereignty Party
\n(Pilar) at the office of the state minister of sports and youth
\naffairs.<\/p>\n
Tambunan, who shot into prominence after becoming the chief
\nlawyer for the Indonesian Democratic Party's (PDI) ousted leader,
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri, in her battle against political rivals in
\n1996, blasted the current political system for limiting the
\nnumber of parties and the people's right to assemble.<\/p>\n
\"Over the 32 years of New Order rule, political parties did
\nnot function as a channel for the people's aspirations; rather
\nthey served merely as tools to perpetuate the power of Soeharto's
\nregime,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Tambunan said: \"The People's Sovereignty Party wants to know
\nwhat concepts President B.J. Habibie has to solve the country's
\ncrisis.<\/p>\n
\"What will he do to save the nation from crumbling? He should
\nclearly and openly present his ideas so the people can evaluate
\ntheir efficacy.<\/p>\n
\"If the government does not yet have a clear strategy, we want
\nit to invite experts to discuss and come up with clear and
\nrational concepts to lift the nation of its economic turmoil,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Review<\/p>\n
Also yesterday, representatives from 17 newly established
\npolitical parties demanded the government revise a stipulation in
\nthe bill on political parties currently being drafted.<\/p>\n
The draft currently stipulates that only parties with branches
\nin half of the country's 27 provinces and regencies can
\nparticipate in the general election.<\/p>\n
\"The stipulation is much too severe,\" said Zakirudin Jamin,
\nchairman of the Indonesian United Believers Party, as quoted by
\nAntara.<\/p>\n
\"There's no way for us new parties to establish that many
\nbranches in such a short time,\" he said in the meeting held at
\nGedung Joang '45.<\/p>\n
President Habibie promised to hold national elections by next
\nMay.<\/p>\n
\"It seems that the draft law, being prepared by the Ministry
\nof Home Affairs, is intended to maintain the (old system of)
\nthree political parties only,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Wilhelmus Bokha of the Indonesian Workers Party said the
\nmeeting was designed to let parties get to know each other, learn
\ndifferent perspectives about reform and discuss ways to address
\nthe increasingly severe economic crisis.<\/p>\n
Bambang Sulistomo of the Indonesian Democrats Alliance Party
\n(PADI) said the meeting did not discuss the possibility of a
\ncoalition between the new parties. (swe)<\/p>",
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