Businesses want big parties to coalesce

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)