Group of PPP activists starts up new foundation
Group of PPP activists starts up new foundation
JAKARTA (JP): A group of members of the United Development
Party (PPP) yesterday announced that they had established a
foundation which would take an active part in socio-economic and
political activities but would stay out of the way of the party.
Speaking to reporters at Sahid Jaya Hotel, H.J. Naro and other
fellow-founding members of the foundation, which they call "The
Jan. 5, 1973 Foundation", said it would "explore, accommodate and
develop ideas within society to achieve national goals."
The name of the foundation refers to the day on which the PPP
was founded as a fusion of four Islamic political parties:
Nahdlatul Ulama, Parmusi, PSII and Perti.
The speakers said the foundation was initiated on Dec. 29,
1994.
"We have no intention of becoming a 'rival' of the PPP, even
though organizationally we have no links with the party," he
said.
Naro said they would seek, instead, to convey the public's
aspirations to the existing political parties: Golkar, PPP and
the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) as well as to other
institutions, including the government.
The foundation's board consists of Naro, as chairman; Ali
Imran Kadir and Thaheransyah Karim, as deputy chairmen;
Mardinsyah, as general secretary; and Abdi S. Kesumanegara and
Djauhari Syamsuddin, as secretaries. All are widely known as
long-time supporters of the former PPP chairman.
Many of the board members are those who failed to be elected
to the PPP's top posts during its national congress last year.
Naro said the foundation would focus its activities on social
education, management consultation, businesses and legal aid.
However, it did not yet have plans for the near future, he
said.
Asked whether the foundation would be involved in politics,
Naro said, "Everyone, not only foundations, have the right to
politics".
Naro said the foundation would seek to accommodate and convey
"broader" issues than did the PPP.
"What the foundation expresses will be for the national
benefit, not only for the PPP," he said. He added that everyone,
regardless of political affiliation, was welcome.
Naro is known as an outspoken critic of PPP chairman Ismail
Hasan Metareum's policies. Ismail won his second term at the
recent congress.
Ismail's first term started in 1989 after he eclipsed Naro,
who did not enjoy the government's endorsement. Naro apparently
fell from grace with the government after he nominated himself
for national vice president in 1988. (pwn)