PADI joins plethora of parties

PADI joins plethora of parties

JAKARTA (JP): A group of academics, social activists and
businesspeople gathered together to form the Indonesian
Democratic Alliance Movement (PADI) as a precursor to a political
party with the ultimate aim of protecting and highlighting the
diversity in Indonesia.

They immediately slammed the present government under B.J.
Habibie for failing to restore public confidence and called for
leading reform figures to establish a reform committee as a
coalition leadership.

"The depreciation in the rupiah, the soaring price of basic
essentials and the uncertain condition of the economy in which
almost all activities have stopped all need a trustworthy
national leadership to rectify," their statement said yesterday.

Among the founding members of the movement are Rio Tambunan,
who sits on the National Olympic Committee, social activist
Roberto Bangun and Harry Ganda Asi, who directs a public
relations company.

They said they would transform their movement into a party
once the new law on political parties had been drafted.

They said a reform committee comprised of experts, students,
social and religious leaders was urgently needed and should be
set up before the planned extraordinary session of the People's
Consultative Assembly in November.

"All those who support reform must unite and let no one divide
them or set them against one another," the statement read. (aan)