Controversy over new party continues
SEMARANG (JP): Legislators say the formation of a new political party by sacked legislator Sri Bintang Pamungkas represents a "rebellion against the Constitution", while political scientists are calling it a strategic political move.
Kahar Badjuri and Ali Mufiz, of Diponegoro University here, expressed qualified support for the formation of the Indonesian Democratic Union Party, or PUDI for short, with the former calling Bintang a "hero of democratization".
"He deserves to be called a hero of the political movement," Kahar told The Jakarta Post. "However, it's possible that the government could nail him for subversion activities."
"The party will draw public sympathy...besides it's a strategic political move," Mufiz said.
Bintang, who was dismissed as a legislator of the United Development Party (PPP) last May for allegedly deviating from the party line, established the new party on Wednesday, describing it as "the fresh blood that will heal Indonesian politics."
However, members of the House of Representatives' three factions have expressed strong opposition to the new party, Antara reported.
"Bintang, as a politician and intellectual, knows the laws and the Constitution very well, and yet he proceeded with establishing the party," Moestahid Astari of the ruling Golkar faction said. "This shows that he rebelled against the Constitution.
"If he went on from here to, say, treason, he should be harshly punished," he said.
"Bintang has really overstepped his boundaries," Aminullah Ibrahim of the Armed Forces (ABRI) faction said.
"Bintang should have channeled his aspirations through PDI, rather than establishing a new party," Fatimah Achmad of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) said.
"What needs to be done is to ensure that the three existing political groupings function optimally, not establishing new parties," Aisyah Aminy of the United Development Party (PPP) said. "I really don't understand what Bintang is up to."
Yesterday, Armed Forces Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung said the government would wait and see. "If this new party proves to disturb national stability, of course we'd take action against it," he said.
Political observer Soehardjo of Diponegoro University also said Bintang's move was unconstitutional. "It's possible for a citizen to establish a party, only if the 1985 law on political grouping was amended," he said.
The 1985 Law only recognizes three political organizations: the ruling Golkar faction, the nationalist-Christian PDI and the Moslem-based PPP.
"What surprises me is that Bintang has proclaimed himself party chairman while the party has not even been legally formed," Soehardjo said. "A party can only be established if it has the support of a great number of people.
"Bintang is desperate. He probably has every good intention in establishing the party. He wants to bring political reform, but his move is still unconstitutional." (har/31/swe)