Businesses want big parties to coalesce

JAKARTA (JP): Businessmen have urged the three most popular parties, namely the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), Golkar and the National Awakening Party (PKB), to coalesce and form a strong government that would support the economy.

"A strong government will bring a positive impact to the country's economic growth," chairman of the Indonesian Exporters Association (GPEI), Amiruddin Saud, said on Monday after a meeting with President B.J. Habibie, State Secretary/Minister of Justice Muladi, and Minister of Trade and Industry Rahardi Ramelan.

Economic recovery, he told Antara, needs a positive political situation.

Saud, who was accompanied by GPEI executive chairman Rudy Lengkong, said non-oil/gas exports in 1998 decreased 2 percent to US$40.9 billion from $41.8 billion in 1997. Exports in the first quarter of 1999 also decreased 19.3 percent to $8.2 billion from $10.2 billion in the same period last year, he said.

He noted, however, there were signs of improvement in some economic indicators and that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicted the country's inflation rate would drop to less than two digits.

When asked about the ideal exchange rate for the Indonesian rupiah to be against the U.S. dollar, Saud, who is also chairman of the National Importers Association (GINSI), said it should be Rp 6,500 because some producers had to import raw materials for the production of export-oriented commodities.

The provisional vote counting so far has shown that no parties will be the majority winner, and that parties would need to coalesce in order to build a new administration.

Golkar has stated a willingness to coalesce with PDI Perjuangan, but PDI Perjuangan, PKB and National Mandate Party (PAN) have in fact formed a pact to block Golkar from returning to power.

Meanwhile, Golkar's central executive board has rejected calls made by some circles that the party be disqualified over allegations of practicing money politics prior to the June 7 general election.

Speaking to newsmen on Sunday, Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung said the calls were exaggerated since no evidence has been brought forward proving the party engaged in alleged money politics during the elections campaign.

Akbar said these circles' calls were emotional in nature because even the Election Supervisory Committee is suspicious of Golkar.

"Other parties did similar things, including intimidation and money politics," he said.

Separately, the Golkar representative in the General Elections Commission (KPU), Mahadi Sinambela, said the calls for Golkar's disqualification in the elections came about because the supervisory committee sided with other political forces.

"Some political parties in the supervisory committee, which are not free from the influence of other political forces, fear that Golkar will emerge as a solid force," said Sinambela.

Among the parties calling for Golkar's disqualification are the Democratic People's Party (PRD) and PAN.

Separately support for Megawati Soekarnoputri's presidential bid mounted in East and Central Java, two PDI Perjuangan strongholds.

In East Java's capital of Surabaya, members of a group calling itself Prodemocratic People (PDR) have placed a 270-meter-long banner near the crossroads of Jl. Demak and Jl. Dupak. As of Monday, about 12,000 people from all walks of life signed the banner.

PDR coordinator Abdul Gani said the group was seeking one million signatures. "We will continue the move up to the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly," Gani said.

At the party's provincial chapter office on Jl. Pandegiling and in Pamekasan on Madura Island, hundreds of people pricked their thumbs and put the prints on a statement confirming their allegiance to Megawati. Over 5,000 thumb prints were made.

About 700 Megawati supporters from the Central Java regencies of Wonosobo, Magelang and Semarang followed suit.

In another expression of allegiance to Megawati, five PDI Perjuangan activists in Batang, also in Central Java, crawled as far as 18 kilometers through the town.

The head of the party's provincial chapter, Suratal, said the act was spontaneous. He said he could not prevent the supporters from their action despite opposition from government officials and religious leaders.(nur/har/amd)