Is it possible to found a new party in Indonesia?

Is it possible to found a new party in Indonesia?

Talks about the need for a new political party have again
resurfaced recently following the widely publicized congress of
the Moslem-oriented United Development Party (PPP). Political
scientist Nazaruddin Sjamsuddin argues that there is no need for
a new party if it will only serve a few of the elite.

JAKARTA (JP): Having failed to seize the leadership of the
United Development Party (PPP) recently, a number of influential
kiai (religious leaders) of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) have said
they would turn their organization into a political party. This
is an interesting phenomenon although it is not my intention to
comment on this particular issue here. Rather, the question I
want to comment on concerns the possibility of a new political
party being born in Indonesia. Are we permitted to have one, do
we need a new political party?

In one of its decrees, the People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR) specifies that Indonesia shall have three social-political
organizations -- one functional grouping (Golongan Karya or
Golkar) and two political parties. It is thus obvious that from
this point of view any addition to the number of political
parties must be preceded by the amendment of the MPR decree in
question.

This implies that if the kiai in the NU, or in any other
political grouping for that matter, wish to form a new party,
such a party cannot be formed forthwith. The reason is that
before such a step can be taken a General Session of the People's
Consultative Assembly must be called. That again implies that
they must wait until March 1998. Beyond this agenda a special
session of the MPR must be assembled.

However, do we need a new political party? Before I answer
this question it may be appropriate for me to ask the following
one: Who would need this new party? This latter question brings
us to yet another one: How many more parties do we need?

On the one hand, it should be clear from the aforementioned
observations that those who at present aspire for the creation of
a new party are politicians who are dissatisfied with our current
party system. They are dissatisfied because the prevailing system
does not allow them to establish themselves in accordance with
their own aspirations.

The kiai of the NU fall into this category of politicians.
Aside from them, there are others who are similarly disappointed.
A number of these latter politicians have already openly
expressed their desire to form a new party. Others, although
their ambitions are not openly expressed, are equally ready to
form a new party if the opportunity should arise.

It is thus clear that the number of political parties that
could be formed is more than one since the politicians who desire
a new party would not be able to restrain themselves and form
just one. This is due to the prevalence of widely diverging
interests among those groups.

On the other hand, it is also quite clear that those who are
at present demanding a new party are members of the political
elite and their supporters, only. In this case their personal
ambitions appear to prevail over their desire to attend to the
interests of the people at large. It was in fact precisely this
failure to acquire a political forum to serve their ambitions
that moved them into demanding a new party. I fear they could be
political adventurers, like some others who are to be found in
the PPP, Golkar or the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) as well.

From the point of view of the interests of the people at
large, especially those living in rural areas, the question of
forming a new party is actually not at all that important. Even
if a new political party should emerge their fate would probably
remain largely unchanged. They would still be in the position of
merely serving the political elite and no more.

Of more fundamental concern to the common people is whether
their aspirations can be adequately conveyed. If their interests
could be genuinely protected, then a new party could hold meaning
for them. On the other hand if such a party served only as a
vehicle to convey the aspirations and the interests of the elite,
all this would bring them no gain whatsoever. It could even be
that their fate would be put in the balance as the politicians
pursue their own political ambitions.

Personally, I tend to hold the view that it would be better to
improve the present party system rather than to demolish it by
forming a new party. The idea of a simple system should be
maintained, at least until Indonesia's economic basis has become
genuinely solid. Moreover, a small number of parties can indeed
reduce the chances of political conflict.

Naturally, these arguments are made on the assumption that
what we need at present are political organizations that
function, inside the House of Representatives (DPR) and outside.
If the existing parties, including Golkar, are functioning
properly as a means to channel the people's aspirations, then
there is no reason for us to form a new party.

Apart from all this, nominations or mutations in the
leadership of political organizations should also be carried out
openly. Assuredly, this would quell the desire of the political
elite to abandon any given party and create one of their own. The
question is, is this possible?

The writer is a lecturer in political science at the
University of Indonesia.