No new political parties allowed: Soesilo

No new political parties allowed: Soesilo

JAKARTA (JP): A limited cabinet meeting decided yesterday to
take action against the new political party founded by sacked
legislator Sri Bintang Pamungkas "if it conducts political
activities".

Coordinating Minister of Political Affairs and Security
Soesilo Soedarman, after chairing a meeting of ministers under
his coordination, told a press conference that no new parties
would be allowed.

He also said that the government would not sit by idly if the
party were to overstep certain boundaries.

"We would not ban it... But of course we won't just take it
lying down if they conduct political activities," Soesilo said.

He did not elaborate on what boundaries or actions he had in
mind.

While stopping short of saying that the Indonesian Democratic
Union Party, PUDI for short, would be banned, Soesilo pointed to
legislation No. 3/1985 which rules out the creation of new
political parties.

"According to that law, it is impossible to start a new
party," Soesilo said.

The monthly meeting was attended here yesterday by Minister of
Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas, Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie
SM, Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono, Minister of Justice
Oetojo Oesman, Minister of Information Harmoko, Attorney General
Singgih and the chief of the National Intelligence Board
Moetojib.

The 1985 law only recognizes three political organizations:
the ruling Golkar faction, the nationalist-Christian Indonesian
Democratic Party (PDI) and the Moslem-based United Development
Party (PPP).

Bintang, who was dismissed as a PPP legislator last May for
allegedly deviating from the party line, established the new
party on Wednesday, saying that it was "the fresh blood that will
heal Indonesian politics."

Appeal

He is currently contesting a Central Jakarta district court
verdict which found him guilty of slandering President Soeharto.
He has not begun serving the 34-month jail term handed down by
the court, pending his appeal to the high court.

Soesilo said that it would be difficult for Bintang to hold
any meetings since he seemed to have very little support and, at
present, no members.

Separately yesterday, Golkar deputy chairman Warno Hardjo
dismissed the new party.

"That new political party has no legitimacy," he said, also
pointing to Law No. 3/1985.

Besides, "there's no guarantee that an additional party will
make the situation more democratic," he told Antara.

Political analyst Maswadi Rauf questioned the effectiveness of
the new political party if it was meant as an attempt at
political reform.

"Granted there some members of the middle class who are
impatient for additional parties. However, will the Indonesian
political system perform better for it?" pondered the lecturer at
the University of Indonesia who was in Semarang yesterday.

In Surabaya, East Java, chief of the Brawijaya regional
military command Maj. Gen. Imam Utomo said he "would not
tolerate" the establishment of a branch of the new party in the
province.

He was commenting on reports that a local student organization
would help set up a branch of PUDI in Surabaya.

"The new party is against the law. We won't tolerate anything
outside the system," Imam asserted.

He argued that in the current state of political development
it would be better to improve the performance of the existing
parties, rather than starting a new one.

Another political observer from the University of Indonesia,
Arbi Sanit, said the birth of the new party was a reflection of
the people's disillusionment with politics caused by the
ineffectual nature of the three existing ones.

"Our political system can no longer satisfy our citizens," he
said. (har/15/mds)

Editorial -- Page 4