Creating a New Indonesia

Creating a New Indonesia

From Media Indonesia

A New Indonesia is a state that is relatively free from the
New Order regime viruses. We still do not know for sure which of
the 48 registered political parties have been infected by those
viruses. Nevertheless we are sure that three big parties at least
are real reformists: the National Mandate Party (PAN), National
Awakening Party (PKB) and the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan). There are in addition some relatively
small reform parties like the Indonesian Democratic Union Party
(PUDI) and the Democratic People's Party (PRD). The three big
parties have pledged a New Indonesia that will be just,
prosperous, will eradicate collusion, corruption and nepotism,
straighten out the military's dual function, implement
decentralization, respect human rights, enforce the law,
refurbish the 1945 Constitution, abolish racial discrimination
and enforce democracy. They have just formed a coalition to
waylay the pro-status quo parties (contaminated by the New Order
viruses).

Therefore, with due apologies to the relatively small reform
parties, the strategy to establish rapidly a New Indonesia is to
focus the choice only on PDI Perjuangan, PAN and PKB at the
general election. By implementing this strategy, after the June 7
election day, the Indonesian nation will be as if reborn with an
entirely different face. The self-sacrifice of the small parties
and that of voters of other alternatives will be a contribution
to this nation. Of course, this kind of strategy is only needed
in a situation that gives cause for concern like the present one.
At the next general election we will abandon the strategy.

AGUS DALIMI

Jakarta