JP/3/PSI
JP/3/PSI
PSI to exploit diverse network
Rais Hidayat
Research and Development Unit
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta
This is the 11th article in a series of the 24 political parties
contesting the 2004 elections.
The acronym of the Indonesian Unity Party (PSI), or Partai
Sarikat Indonesia, once belonged to an early 20th-century party
with nationalist and Islamic characteristics. It was founded upon
a leading merchants' association, the Muslim Unity (SI), or
Sarikat Islam.
Today's PSI, however, brings together parties and
organizations representing different religions, and workers and
businesspeople both. Leaders describe the party as nationalist,
religious and populist, which would have to be detailed more
clearly in its legislative campaign.
Its religious perspective is inspired by HOS Cokroaminoto, the
founding father of SI, said PSI Secretary-General M. Jumhur
Hidayat.
Established on Dec. 17, 2002, the PSI is formed based on a
coalition of eight parties: The Indonesian Islamic Association
Party (PSII), the Unity Party (PP), the Indonesian Independence
Vanguard Party (IPKI), the People's Sovereignty Party (PDR), the
Marhaenist Front Indonesian National Party (PNI-FM), the
Indonesian National Party-Marhaen (PNI MM), the Catholic
Democratic Party (PKD), and the Indonesian Unity in Diversity
Party (PBI).
Each of these parties gained only one seat in the 1999
election, and thus would not have qualified to run in this year's
general elections on their own.
Among them are three obviously religion-based parties -- the
PSII, PP and PKD -- representing both Muslims and Christians.
The PSII descended from the old PSII, which contested the 1955
and 1971 polls and can be traced to Sarikat Islam. The PP broke
away from the Islam-based United Development Party (PPP).
The nationalists of the group are the PNI-FM, PNI-MM and IPKI.
They claim to represent the marhaen -- the poor but self-reliant,
a concept introduced by the charismatic first president of
Indonesia, Sukarno. His concept, marhaenisme, was propagated by
the now-defunct Indonesian Nationalist Party (PNI), which was the
springboard for many parties over the decades.
The PDR is the only socialist party in the PSI, and is
associated with intellectuals such as PDR co-founder Adi Sasono,
who was former minister of cooperatives under then-president BJ
Habibie.
The PSI platform seems to follow closely the ideology of
Jumhur, one of the PDR's leaders. The former activist of the
Bandung Institute of Technology also led Center for Information
and Development Studies (CIDES), the think tank affiliated with
the Association of Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals (ICMI). Jumhur
also led the Indonesian Labor Union Confederation (Gaspermindo).
His ideas are elaborated in his 2002 book, The Manifesto of
the Third Power. Among his priorities are land reform and a clear
program for small- and medium-sized enterprises.
One million new entrepreneurs can be created by better
management of the credit portfolio of our banking system, he
writes, which would subsequently ensue in an increased share of
credit for small and medium enterprises to 50 percent, from the
current rate of 10 percent.
The party is boldly targeting the minimum 17 seats, or 3
percent of legislative seats, which would allow it to go on and
contest the presidential election. Jumhur says the party would
achieve this through PSI's network of fishermen, farmers, workers
and small-scale businesspeople.
Fittingly, its presidential candidate is Indonesian Farmers
Association (HKTI) chairman Siswono Yudohusodo. A former Golkar
executive, he is popular and his image is clean. Another plus is
his considerable experience in government, with former
ministerial posts in public housing and transmigration.
The PSI is also counting on the strengths of its coalition
members. Among the targeted 17 seats, it expects to win two
through its North Sumatra candidates, given the membership base
of the Catholic Party and the Unity in Diversity Party.
The latter represents various ethnicities -- not only Chinese
Indonesians, but also Indian and Pakistani Indonesians, colors of
the rainbow of ethnic communities that characterize North
Sumatra.
The PSI also expects to secure five seats in West Java, a
stronghold of the Islamic PSII and PP. With its network of
farmers and workers, the PSI is also confident in facing the
stiff competition posed by other Islamic parties, the United
Development Party (PPP) and the Crescent Star Party (PBB).
In Central Java, PSI hopes to secure another five seats,
relying on its nationalist network. The PSI's main rivals here
are other champions of nationalism and the marhaen like the
Freedom Bull National Party (PNBK), the Pioneers' Party (Partai
Pionir) and the Marhaenisme Indonesian National Party (PNI
Marhaenisme).
Leaders of the latter two parties are comparatively more
popular, as they are direct descendants of Sukarno -- his
daughters Rahmawati of the Pioneers' Party and Sukmawati of PNI
Marhaenisme. The PSI also lacks the catchy logo most of the
nationalists share, the bull.
The PSI is also looking to the networks of its founders for
seats in West Kalimantan, West Nusa Tenggara and South Sulawesi.
It remains to be seen whether the party can maintain the broad
network of cooperation among its diverse elements until their
collective short-term goal is achieved -- winning seats in the
legislature. Continued cooperation may be a solution -- but only
if the disparate elements are truly united in at least their
understanding of being "nationalist, religious and populist".