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)