Parties and politics

Parties and politics

From Media Indonesia

It has frequently been reported in the mass media that Vice President Hamzah Haz has been receiving members of the United Development Party (PPP). He has done it either at his palace on Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan or at his official residence on Jl. Diponegoro. He and the members concerned discussed matters relating to the 2003 conference of PPP and the failure of some PPP members to win certain positions.

As a layman who has had the opportunity to read the story of the leadership of the famous Caliph Umar bin Abdul Aziz, I have often wondered whether PPP is really a Muslim party or an open party with its executive board and supporters being Muslims.

If PPP is an Islamic party, the political behavior of PPP's leaders should be modeled on that of Caliph Umar bin Abdul Azis. In the old days, the caliph could distinguish state matters from family ones. If he was dealing with state matters, he would meet people at the palace. If private matters, he would find a solution at home.

By analogy one could say that party matters should be discussed at the secretariat of the party concerned.

Well, that's the problem of having a party chief as a state leader.

AHMAD SYAUDI

Tangerang, Banten