Controversy over new party continues

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)