Families cope with new political choices

Families cope with new political choices

Indonesian families are facing a novel situation: more choices
to pick from when they go to the polling stations on June 7. The
Jakarta Post correspondents Asip Agus Hasani in Yogyakarta,
Yusril Ardanis in West Sumatra capital of Padang, and O.K. Mirza
Syah and Junardi Harahap in Medan, North Sumatra, report about
the new development.

JAKARTA (JP): Fifty-year-old M. Nasution in Medan believes
that because he is the breadwinner, he has the right to decide
which political party his family should vote for on June 7.

M. Nasution, the principal of an Islamic junior high school,
said he would certainly vote for Golkar, the way he has always
done for the past elections under Soeharto's New Order
administration. He thinks his wife and the eldest two of his five
children should do the same.

"I am the leader of this family, and I have the right to
decide what political party my family should support," he said.

His wife, 42-year-old Mastijah, however, has a different idea.

"Yes, my husband tells me to vote for Golkar, but I am not
going to. I will vote for PPP (the United Development Party),"
she confided to The Jakarta Post. "I was educated in a pesantren
(Islamic boarding school), and so NU (Nahdlatul Ulama,
Indonesia's largest Islamic organization) is in my blood."

"I will not choose any other parties because it's what I
believe in," she said.

The two eldest children, Ahmadi and Evi, have also discovered
their own preference.

Ahmadi, who recently became a civil servant, knew he was
expected to vote for Golkar, but math student Evi knew she would
vote for the National Awakening Party (PKB).

"I joined the Rectors Forum's poll monitoring body, and my
rector introduced us to the party...I was impressed, so I am
going to vote for PKB," Evi said.

Mastijah shrugged when asked about the differences in the
family. "Everyone is entitled to their preference. Besides,
Golkar will still win anyway," she said resignedly.

Another family in Medan said they were coping well with the
new situation. The eldest children of the late independence
fighter Hasbullah Parinduri recalled how loyally their parents
supported Masyumi, a now-defunct Islamic party under Sukarno.

Now Parinduri's offsprings have to adjust to the new reality
of having 48 parties to choose from, including several whose
founders claim to be the torch bearers of the old Masyumi.

Thirty-nine-year old A. Hanafi Parinduri believes the spirit
of the Masyumi lives on in the Crescent Star Party (PBB). The
treasurer of the PBB branch for West Medan said: "The PBB suits
my conscience because it is based on Islam."

"We know that its leaders also are people of principle. And
many Masyumi figures are now leaders of the PBB."

Hanafi's younger brother, Khairul Muslim Parinduri, 34, said
he would vote for the Indonesian Masyumi Islamic Political Party
(PPIIM), because he believes the party is the true heir of the
old party.

Khairul, who is now chairman of the West Medan branch of the
party, said his parents educated them about what old Masyumi was.
He was convinced that only the PPIIM represents the spirit of the
old Masyumi.

Asmu'i Parinduri, 29, however, said he would of course vote
for Golkar. He is now an activist of the Indonesian National
Youth Committee, an affiliate of the ruling party.

The youngest of the family of eight, 27-year-old Husni
Thamrin, is a supporter of Amien Rais' National Mandate Party
(PAN). "Because it's the party of true reformists," he argued.

Given the differences, heated political debates were therefore
a frequent feature in the family.

"That's so usual. We just have to draw the line at some point,
namely that these arguments should not make us stop talking with
each other," elder brother Azhari, 42, said.

The large family house of the Parinduris is now the local
office for three parties: PPIIM, PBB and PAN.

Party gatherings are held there almost every night. Last
Thursday evening, for instance, dozens of PAN young supporters
met there and discussed the plan for a party function.

Hanafi pointed at a 35-square-meter room in which activists of
the three parties took turns holding their meetings.

"This is actually a legacy of our parents who taught us what
democracy was, what deliberation was and how we should respect
the voice of everyone involved, regardless of our ages," said
Husni, who is affectionately called Adek or younger brother.

"Our father taught us to have discussions... (in order) to
bring about changes," Adek added.

Twenty-five-year-old Yasrizal Lafau is an activist of the
Justice Party (PK), which is dominated by young Muslims. The
engineering student at the Sumatra Utara University in Medan was
recently chosen as the party's legislative candidate for Sibolga
regency.

He now finds himself increasingly at odds with his father,
Zakaria Lafau, who is the regent of Nias.

"Naturally, my father is a Golkar man, and my mother too,"
Yasrizal said, describing how for decades Nias recorded over 90
percent wins for Golkar. Now, Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) is becoming progressively stronger in
the regency and Yasrizal recounted how some of its activists
warned of possible bloodshed should Golkar claim a win there.

"My father lives in Nias, and we meet, say, once a month, and
then we argue for hours over politics," Yasrizal said, shaking
his head as he described the tension felt in the family every
time such discussions occurred.

Saying no

In Padang, Mursal Esten, a professor at the Indonesian Arts
School in Padangpanjang and at the Padang Teachers' Training
College, admitted he was still confused as to which political
parties were "for real" and which were set up by people who were
merely feeling the euphoria caused by the new political opening.

"I believe academicians should not be actively involved in
certain political parties," he said. "That's why I personally
decided to stay out of politics."

Mursal's father, the late Sutan Nurdin, was a leader of
Muhammadiyah and an activist of the old Masyumi. "I learned
politics from my father. And not getting involved in politics is
also a political decision," Mursal said.

Mursal's children Triono, Eka and Arya agreed not to be
involved in any political parties either. "My wife, Rowati, often
tells them not to get involved in politics," Mursal said.

Edi Dasril, a Padang businessman whose Lucky Music Room club
burned down during the May 1998 unrest, was recruited by an old
friend in Jakarta to become an activist of the Murba Party.

"My friend guaranteed I would be the chairman of the party's
branch in Padang," said Edi, whose wife, Sofia, is the secretary-
general of the Murba branch.

They are both legislative candidates, their eldest son Louis
is the candidate for the House of Representatives, while their
younger children Kiki and Ade actively help out in party
functions.

Tenant farmer Zulkifli in Kuranji village, Payakumbuh regency
in West Sumatra, said he was now facing problems because his
children were activists of different parties. The eldest, Dedi,
is a supporter of PAN, the middle child, Yessie, supports PBB,
while the youngest David, supports yet another party.

"They keep trying to convince me that theirs is the best
party," Zulkifli sighed. "They argue about everything, from the
party logo to their presidential candidates every day."

Gianto, a dawet (traditional sweet drink) vendor in Klewer
Market, in Yogyakarta, agreed with his wife, Tukini, the party of
their choice was PDI Perjuangan. Their eldest son, Jono, 17,
however, supports a different party.

"You know, I once had an argument with him, not because I
didn't want him to support PKB, but because I told him not to
join that party's rallies. He insisted, and so I gave up."

"I no longer dare tell my son not to do anything. Kids. If you
tell them not to do something, they do it anyway in spite."

"I used to vote for Golkar, but that's because the village
chief intimidated us. If we didn't vote for Golkar then, he would
make it difficult for us when we needed papers at his office,"
Gianto said.

Tukini agreed. "If a wife doesn't pick the same party that her
husband does, they wouldn't be called husband and wife, right?"

"I don't mind voting for Bu Mega (Megawati Soekarnoputri)'s
bull... Besides, there are too many parties to choose from now,
so rather than being confused, I would rather choose the same
party with my husband... so we won't need to argue..."

"I like Bu Mega, because we're both women," Tukini added.

Pedicab driver, Suparjiono, also in Yogyakarta, is another
supporter of PDI Perjuangan. "I would let my wife choose any
party she wants, but I choose PDI Perjuangan. I have been a
supporter of PDI since I was young...

"I get really upset if people say bad things about Bu Mega...
she is the daughter of Pak Karno (Sukarno)... I may be poor, but
I always make a point of visiting his grave in Blitar (east Java)
every two years.

"My son Koko is also an activist of PDI Perjuangan, but my
younger one, Yono, wants to vote for PAN. That's okay. It's just
that I get irritated if he talks incessantly about how good Amien
Rais is," Suparjiono said.

Surti, Suparjino's wife who sells tempeh, agreed. "Yono keeps
persuading me to vote for PAN...Actually I don't care. What I
care about is whether the tempeh sells out."