No need for new political laws, experts say
No need for new political laws, experts say
JAKARTA (JP): Most political experts believe Indonesia no
longer needs laws to govern political parties as the new
electoral law, currently being drafted, should be sufficient.
Indria Samego of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences and Afan
Gaffar of Gadjah Mada University asserted that despite the
emergence of new political parties, there was no need for the
government and the House of Representatives to prepare a new law
on political parties.
Instead, a comprehensive electoral law would encompass issues
regarding the establishment of political parties, the two experts
pointed out in a hearing with House Commission II for domestic
political affairs which was attended by political scientist
Nazaruddin Syamsuddin from the University of Indonesia.
Commission chairman Budi Harsono said the hearing was held as
part of the commission's preparations to deliberate the draft
laws on general elections, political parties and the role and
function of the House currently being prepared by a team
appointed by President B.J. Habibie.
"The existing law on political parties is not more than a set
of prohibitions, which in the end only makes the (existing)
political parties nothing more than a means to legitimize
(claims) that the country is democratic," Indria said, as quoted
by Antara.
"The rest of the ruling in the law has actually been covered
in the parties' statutes. Therefore, why don't we just let the
parties establish their own stipulations rather than (having) a
law," he said.
The existing political laws recognize only two political
parties -- the United Development Party and the Indonesian
Democratic Party -- and Golkar, which does not call itself a
political party but contests elections.
Habibie's government has pledged to open the political
corridors and allow people to build their own political parties.
The government has appointed a team, headed by political expert
Ryaas Rasyid, to prepare new laws to replace the existing ones.
Habibie said the new laws should be ready by August when they
will be submitted to the House for deliberation.
Several groups have already taken advantage of the promise and
established parties. These include the Indonesian Workers Party
(PPI) and Indonesian-Chinese for Reform Party (Parti).
On Monday a group of environmentalists announced plans to
establish the country's first green party, the United Republic
Party. The announcement was made during a ceremony at the summit
of the 3,019 meter Mt. Pangrango 65 kilometers south of here on
Sunday.
"If the government wants to improve the political laws, it'd
be better if it provides a definition of what a political party
is," Indria said.
Afan concurred and said that parties are part of the electoral
system. The electoral law should therefore consist of many
chapters in order to prevent "unfair interpretations."
"The (electoral) law will have around 200 chapters," said
Afan, who is included in Ryaas' team.
The law will also abolish the election registration committees
in order to prevent cheating.
Amien
In Yogyakarta, opposition figure Amien Rais said he did not
have any plans to jump onto the bandwagon and establish his own
political party.
"Let other people articulate their interests through parties
that they establish," he said in a discussion at Gadjah Mada
University Monday evening.
He said there was no reason for concern over the emergence of
many political parties of late, because a natural selection
process would occur and parties which did not have the support of
many people would dissolve automatically.
"The public will decide whether certain parties would continue
to exist," he said. (23/44/swe)