Parties to join PNI Marhaneisme

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