Over 200 parties registered for 2004 elections
Over 200 parties registered for 2004 elections
As of the end of July, the number of political parties registered
with the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights for the 2004
general election had reached a staggering 204.
The number of parties far exceeds the figure in 1999, when 149
parties registered for the first election held in the post-New
Order era.
Although the parties wanting to contest the next election
claim to have opened dozens of branches across the country and
boast thousands of members, many believe only a few of them will
qualify.
The bill on general elections, which will be discussed by the
House of Representatives starting on Thursday, stipulates that a
party should have branches in at least two-thirds of the
country's 30 provinces and two-thirds of the country's
cities/regencies. Each branch should comprise at least 1,000
members.
Only 48 parties were eligible for the 1999 election, and only
one-fourth of them managed to win House seats. Of these parties,
only those that won at least 2 percent of the vote or 10 House
seats will be allowed to contest the next polls.
Like in the past, some of the registered parties used fake
addresses and telephone numbers.
"It's Pak Bonar's house, not the office of the Young
Generation Party," a woman replied when contacted by The Jakarta
Post on Monday.
The office of the Islamic Radical Party chaired by Hasan
Jawas, which is located in Ciputat according to Ministry of
Justice and Human Rights data, apparently belongs to a resident
named Ridwan. Hasan is a resident of Lampung.
Legislator Gregorius Seto Haryanto of the Love the Nation
Democratic Party (PDKB), which won five House seats in the last
election, has registered a new party named the Defenders of Love
the Nation Democratic Party (PPDKB).
Legislators Abdul Qadir Djailani and Hartono Mardjono, who
have been expelled from the Crescent Star Party, has established
the Al-Islam Welfare Indonesia Party (PAS Indonesia) and the
Indonesia Islamic Party (PII) respectively.