Unrecognized new party gains more support<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The newly formed opposition Indonesian
\nDemocratic Union Party (PUDI), which the government has refused
\nto recognize, gained the support of a former general and two
\nscholars yesterday.<\/p>\n
Former army general Soemitro and senior political observers
\nMochtar Buchori and Arief Budiman aired their views during the
\nseminar, organized by the Institute for Information Flow Studies
\nand led by political observer Ekky Syachrudin.<\/p>\n
\"There is nothing illegal in forming a new political party,
\nbecause the 1945 Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and
\nassembly,\" Soemitro said.<\/p>\n
They said during yesterday's seminar that the party,
\nestablished by fired legislator Sri Bintang Pamungkas, is lawful
\nbecause the Constitution guarantees freedom of association and
\nspeech.<\/p>\n
Controversial politician Sri Bintang Pamungkas, together with
\na number of political activists, established the party, which the
\ngovernment condemned as illegal last month.<\/p>\n
Bintang says the new party will not contest next year's
\ngeneral election, because it distrusts the existing political and
\nelectoral system. It declared, however, that it would aim to
\nreform the system itself.<\/p>\n
Soemitro, a former commander of the defunct Internal Security
\nAgency, said that, in his opinion, it is up to the people to
\ndecide whether they need a new political organization or not.<\/p>\n
He called on the highest lawmaking body, the People's
\nConsultative Assembly, to review the political laws that restrict
\nthe establishment of a new party.<\/p>\n
The 1985 law on sociopolitical organizations only recognizes
\nthree political organizations in Indonesia: Golkar, the United
\nDevelopment Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic Party
\n(PDI).<\/p>\n
\"Current outdated laws on political parties and mass
\norganizations should be scrapped or at least reviewed, because
\nthey are no longer suitable to present situation,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Scholar Mochtar Buchori said the establishment of the new
\nparty was inspired by the existing parties' inability to
\naccommodate the public's interests.<\/p>\n
He said it is high time Indonesia redefined the word
\n\"opposition\", because the delicate nature of Indonesian politics
\nhas given it a negative connotation.<\/p>\n
A person having a different opinion on a particular problem
\nfrom other members of the bureaucracy will be considered as the
\nopposition and subject to harassment, he said.<\/p>\n
He suggested that the government should change the political
\nsystem, allowing people to air their opinions without fear.<\/p>\n
Arief Budiman, known as a government critic, said that PUDI
\nwas established at the \"right time\", when the current political
\nsituation has led people to believe that the existing political
\norganizations are toothless.<\/p>\n
\"I am sure that the people would not accept PUDI if it had
\nbeen established in the 1970s,\" he said. \"People support PUDI not
\nbecause they admire Bintang, but rather because they are tired of
\nthe political situation at present.\"<\/p>\n
Arief said the PPP and the PDI should have the courage to
\nstand up and declare themselves opposition parties.<\/p>\n
The new party has received strong opposition from the
\nlegislative body and the government.<\/p>\n
Leaders of the four political factions in the House of
\nRepresentatives have expressed their opposition, saying that it
\nwas a rebellion against the Constitution. (imn)<\/p>\n
Photo -- Page 2<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/unrecognized-new-party-gains-more-support-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }