Entering the multiparty system

By Mulyana W. Kusumah

JAKARTA (JP): Amid the protracted debate on political bills in the House of People's Representatives and the anticipated wide range of legal and political restrictions for the multi-party system, political parties have sprouted like mushrooms.

No fewer than 137 political parties with different value and social bases have been set up in the last seven months. These parties fall into the following categories: 1) those having religious values as their basis -- 38 political parties, 33 of which are based on Islamic values; 2) those having a "functional" and "interest group" basis -- 54 political parties; 3) those having a nationalist-democratic political line -- some 30 political parties and 4) those pursuing the social-democratic ideology -- about 15 political parties.

Political parties set up on an Islamic basis -- 33 in number -- are as follows: 1) Ahlus Sunnah Waljamaah Party, 2) The Indonesian Sunni Muslim Awakening Alliance (AKAMSI), 3) the Indonesian Muslim Charitable Dedication Party, 4) the National Mandate Party 5) the Indonesian Islamic Democratic Party (PADRI), 6) Two Syahadat, 7) the Democratic Islamic Party (PID), 8) the Indonesian Islamic Party, 9) the Indonesian United Islamic Party, 10) the Indonesian Insan Mutaqin Movement (PGMI), 11) the Justice Party, 12) The Ahlus Sunnah Waljamaah Community Awakening Party (PRKKAM); 13) The Indonesian Muslim Awakening Party (KAMMI), 14) the Islamic Community Awakening Party (PKU), 15) the Indonesian Islamic Community Unity Party, 16) the Wahdlatul Umat Unity Party, 17) the Nahdlatul Umat Party, 18) the National Awakening Party, 19) the Indonesian Islamic Union Party, 20) the Indonesian Islamic Association Party (PSII, Dr. Bustaman, SH), 21) the Indonesian Islamic Association Party (PSII, H. Taufiq Tjokroaminoto), 22) the Tharikat Islam Party, 23) the Islamic Community Party (PUI), 24) the Indonesian Muslim Community Party, 25) the Islamic Community Dynamic Party (PDU), 26) the Kabah Party, 27) the Crescent and Star Party (PBB), 28) Masyumi, 29) the New Masyumi, 30) the United Development Party (PPP), 31) the Indonesian Ulema Functional Party, 32) Tarbiyah Islam, 33) the United Party.

It is likely that these Islam-based parties will form a coalition or an alliance as a plan has been initiated for an alliance involving the Justice Party, the Islamic Community Party, the Masyumi Party, the Tarbiyah Islam Parti (PTI), the Indonesian Islamic Association Party (PSII) and the Indonesian United Islamic Party. These parties agree that this alliance, which will be established prior to the upcoming general election, is aimed at sharing common visions, strategies and programs and uniting their voices.

Among the nationalist-democratic parties there are also signs of alliance or even fusion.

Two political parties bearing the symbol of a buffalo head and having an identical name, namely the Indonesian Nationalist Party (PNI) under Mrs. Supeni and PNI under Bachtar Oscha Chalis have announced that they are to participate in the 1999 general election under the same banner.

In the meantime, there is not the slightest indication of reconciliation between the two nationalist-democratic parties having an identical symbol and name, namely the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) under Megawati Soekarnoputri and PDI under Budi Hardjono. In fact, in a general election held under a proportional system, contesting political parties are not allowed to share either a name or a symbol.

As for political parties pursuing the social-democratic ideology, they seem to be having greater difficulty forming an alliance than the political parties with different value bases. In the meantime, it is very likely that before the general election political parties with a "functional" base will declare that they will participate in the upcoming general election under the banner of the Functional Group (Golkar).

In the present development of political parties, there are also alliances as follows:

First, The Pro-Total Reform Party Forum, which brings together among others the Indonesian Democratic Union Party (PUDI), the New Masyumi Party, the Marhaen Popular Party, the Islamic Community Party, the Murba Party, the Indonesian Chinese Reform Party, the Prosperous Indonesia Party, the Indonesian Nationalist Party and so forth.

Second, political parties taking part in a congress of political parties on Jan. 13 and 14, 1999 under the leadership of Agus Miftach (the Indonesian Popular Party), made up of such political parties as the Indonesian Pearl Party, the Indonesian Women's Party (PPI), the Popular Sovereignty Party (PKR), the Catholic Democratic Party (PDK), the Tharikat Islam Party (PTI), IPKI, the Community Echo Party (PGM), MKGR, the Nahdlatul Ummat Party (PNU) and the Democratic Islamic Party (PID).

Third, the Communication Forum of Pro-Reform Parties (FKPPR) led by Syaiful Anwar.

Fourth, the Alliance of Pro-Reform Parties under Syarifuddin Harahap (the Republican Party). It is made up of the Farmers' and Fishermen's Prosperity Party (PKTN), the 45 Community Social Union Party (Pusaka 45), the Indonesian Mandate of People's Sufferings Party (AMPERA), the Indonesian People's Service Front Party (BARI), the Social Justice Party (PKS), the Indonesian Reform Party (PRI), the Indonesian Reformation Party.

In view of the judicial preconditions with administrative and political dimensions, not all political parties referred to above may be eligible for the upcoming general election.

Pursuant to the Law on General Election, scheduled to be ratified on Jan. 28, 1999, a political party will administratively be considered a general election contestant if it has nine provincial executive boards across the country and in each of these provinces the party has a second-level regional executive board in more than a half of the second-level regions making up this province.

The Law on Political Parties meanwhile states that a political party can be suspended if it fails to mention Pancasila in its constitution or if "it has characteristics contradicting Pancasila".

The same law also stipulates that a political party "must not harm national union and unity directly or indirectly". A political party can be suspended or even disbanded by an institution outside the party with an authoritative power.

In this case, it is the Supreme Court that will have the authority to interpret these multi-interpretable definitions.

A number of political parties have declared that they will assume a tough stance if the Bills on Political Affairs produced fail to accommodate their democratic aspirations. In this respect, they will, among other things, call for a boycott of the general election and even organize a "counter election".

In the present political situation such a reaction is natural and legitimate. The question is whether or not such an attitude is realistic enough.

Another question is whether or not such a political reaction can delegitimize the general election, which has now become a national consensus of sorts as an inevitable part of an institutionalization process and also as one of the strategic solutions to overcome the protracted political crisis.

The writer is Secretary General of the Indonesian Independent Election Monitoring Committee -- KIPP Indonesia.