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)

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