Bintang braves officials' wrath over new party

Bintang braves officials' wrath over new party

JAKARTA (JP): Controversial politician Sri Bintang Pamungkas
is braving the wrath of the government after officials warned him
against developing his Indonesian Democratic Union Party (PUDI).

The dismissed legislator of the conservative United
Development Party said yesterday he has opened five party
branches in Jakarta and Irian Jaya.

"The establishment of the party branches is evidence that many
people support my cause," Bintang announced at the Indonesian
Legal Aid Foundation, which seems to have become his safe haven.

Bintang charged that the government has overreacted to and
tried to discredit the party he introduced to the public last
week. The government means to create a false image of the party,
he said.

"Its refusal to recognize PUDI aims at creating the impression
that the party is refused by the public, unconstitutional and
must be faced with violence," Bintang said.

The government has threatened to take action against Bintang
if the party is involved in activities deemed to endanger
political stability.

Last week, Coordinating Minister of Political Affairs and
Security Soesilo Soedarman said Indonesia did not need a new
party because the political law allows only the existing three.

He said the government would take action if the party
oversteps "certain boundaries".

The Armed Forces (ABRI), which is dominant in the Indonesian
political arena, has taken the same stand. Also last week, Chief
of ABRI's Social and Political Affairs Let. Gen. Syarwan Hamid
vowed ABRI would take strong action against the "unconstitutional
and unrecognized" party.

Bintang has argued that he is only exercising a citizen's
right to freedom of assembly and expression as guaranteed by
article No. 28 of the 1945 Constitution.

"The authorities have no reason to ban the party because there
is no law that prohibits its establishment," he said.

He maintained that the political law recognizes three
political organizations, the United Development Party, Indonesian
Democratic Party and Golkar, but does not ban the establishment
of a new one.

Bintang said PUDI activists would not hear what government
officials say and vowed he would open more branches all over
Indonesia.

"I plan a whirlwind tour from Sabang (Indonesia's westernmost
town) to Merauke (Indonesia's easternmost town) to promote the
party," he said.

He claimed the party has been flooded with financial
assistance since its establishment but he declined to name the
donors. "The money came from God's servants," he said.

Separately, a group of 20 people demonstrated their rejection
of PUDI at the home affairs ministry yesterday.

The protesters who claimed to represent 10 non-governmental
organizations urged the Ministry of Home Affairs to dissolve the
party.

"The Indonesian Democratic Union Party is unconstitutional,"
Binsar Hutabarat, the protesters' spokesman, said.

The protesters also urged the ministry to take action against
the "political adventurers" involved in the party. (01)