Everyone is tainted by New Order: Ahadien

By Sirikit Syah

SURABAYA (JP): Ahadien Mintaroem is a senior United Development Party (PPP) politician who started out his political career in 1970 as a Muhammadiyah representative in Sekber Golkar -- the group that later formed Golkar.

After the general election in 1971, he was appointed the secretary of Partai Muslimin Indonesia (Parmusi) which in 1973 fused with three other parties to form the United Development Party. In 1985, he became chairman of the East Java chapter of PPP and has retained the position until now.

The following is his conversation recently with The Jakarta Post about how conflicts were threatening national unity.

Question: The PPP supporters have been engaged in various conflicts with members of the National Awakening Party (PKB).

Answer: We need to appreciate and respect other parties and their independence. It would not do to say ugly things about certain parties because actually all of us are related in some way or another with the New Order regime.

Look at Gus Dur (Abdurrahman Wahid, chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama and founder of National Awakening Party, PKB)). He was a member of the People's Consultative Assembly (representing Golkar) in the New Order era. Megawati (Soekarnoputri, popular chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, PDI Perjuangan)) was a member of the House of Representatives in (Soeharto's) administration.

They both voted during presidential elections. They voted Soeharto into office.

Look at Amien Rais. He held a congress of Muhammadiyah (in Banda Aceh in 1995) which was attended by Soeharto. He never corrected Soeharto when the latter said in his speech he was a cadre of Muhammadiyah.

Q: What about PPP? It was founded by the New Order.

A: If people consider us to be a product of the New Order, so be it. We wouldn't deny it. But we try not to offend others over this issue. As I said before, everybody is related to the New Order.

(If people attack us) we'll try not to be upset or angry. We have to understand the criticism and attacks are usually done by new parties, most of whose supporters do not understand history.

Q: How are you going to stop conflicts between PPP supporters with those of PKB?

A: We tell people not to be easily provoked. We don't make claims like the way Golkar claimed in the past that all government officials were its staunch supporters. Now, PKB claims that all Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) members are its supporters. We avoid doing that, and I hope this helps reduce the possibility of conflicts.

Q: Do you think it helps your party become more acceptable?

A: Maybe, but we get support from both Muslims and non-Muslims. Our party works for people in general. Even though we don't hold demonstrations involving barongsay (Chinese dragons), we too, support Chinese Indonesians.

Q: What is your strategy in winning people's sympathy?

A: Not by criticizing or attacking other people, of course. But by revealing history. History speaks for itself.

In 1978-1979, we were the only faction (at the legislative bodies) fighting against the government's control of campus life. In 1998, for the first time in the New Order regime, we became the first faction to exercise the House's right of initiative.

We initiated the bill on general election... we insisted on reducing the number of the military seats at the House.

Q: Once, when PPP was led by D.J. Naro, you were under government control...

A: We should remember that Naro was the first and only person ever to challenge (Soeharto's handpicked man Sudharmono) as the vice presidential candidate. No else had done it before or after.

Q: How are you preparing for the multiparty competition?

A: This is the result of reform and democratization. It's a good thing. It is much easier to compete with many parties if the elections are fair and everyone is treated the same. It was difficult in the past when we had to be up against the ruling party which had failed to play fair and had all the privileges.

Q: What do you think of President B.J. Habibie?

A: I personally like him but PPP would not support him (for the next presidency). PPP would choose its own candidate.

Q: Where do you think you will win in East Java?

A: Madura, the horseshoe area of Jember, Situbondo, Banyuwangi and others. Malang, Surabaya. I think the eastern part of East Java still supports us.