Parties to join PNI Marhaneisme

JAKARTA: Some small parties that failed to pass the National Elections Commission (KPU) screening have expressed interest in joining the Marhaenisme Indonesian National Party (PNI Marhaenisme), led by Sukmawati Soekarnoputri, a daughter of founding president Sukarno.

PNI Marhaenisme secretary-general Achmad Marhaen said on Tuesday that the Indonesian Unity Party (Partindo) had officially merged with his party and some other small parties had expressed the intention of following suit.

"After we were declared eligible for the 2004 elections, a lot of small parties began to approach us to join our party," Achmad said without giving the names of the parties concerned.

PNI Marheanisme passed the KPU verification along with the parties of Sukmawati's two other sisters -- the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) of Megawati Soekarnoputri, and the Pioneer Party led by Rachmawati Soekarnoputri. The three parties all claim to be heir to the nationalist principles of Sukarno.

Achmad also said that a number of mass organizations had also stated their intention of join forces with the new party.

A total of 24 political parties have qualified to participate in the legislative election in April 2004. Only parties or coalitions of parties that get combined votes of 5 percent, or 3 percent of the seats in the House of Representatives, will be allowed to field candidates in the first direct presidential election in July 2004. --Antara