PBR relies on charismatic chairman to lure voters in 2004 elections
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Reform Star Party (PBR) relies on its charismatic chairman and fanatic followers, but its executives assert the new Muslim- based party will not resort to violence, particularly during the election campaign.
The PBR, most of whose leaders nurtured their political skills in the United Development Party (PPP), is chaired by Zainuddin M.Z., a Muslim preacher popularly known as the "cleric of a million followers".
During his visit to The Jakarta Post on Wednesday, Mahendradatta, one of the party's executives, expressed his optimism the party would be able to keep its followers calm. The party's supporters include former members of Muslim paramilitary groups (laskar).
"We always tell the party's supporters we are anti-violence. We always remind them that people will shun us if we perpetrate violent," said Mahendradatta, who is also a lawyer of jailed Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir and the Bali bombers.
Mahendradatta said that to avoid violence, the party would stay alert to any attempts by outsiders to disrupt the party's events in a bid to taint its image.
The PBR was established on Jan. 20, 2002, under the name the United Development Party of Reform (PPP Reformasi), marking the climax of an internal conflict within the PPP which centered on demands for a regeneration of the party's central board.
The splinter group changed its name to PBR to avoid a legal battle with the PPP.
The PBR has nominated Zainuddin as its presidential candidate, but secretary-general Djafar Badjeber said the cleric had not yet consented to stand.
Zainal Ma'arif, another PBR executive, said non-violence would be one of the party platforms being offered to voters.
He said the change in the party's name was part of an effort to avoid possible clashes between supporters of his party and the PPP.
The PBR prohibits its members from occupying positions in both the party and the government. The party statutes also say that each party executive can serve for a maximum of only two terms.
In accordance with the party's statutes, party members can sit in the legislative bodies for two periods only.
"We don't want to see the House of Representatives filled by the same people for too long," said Zainal, who is a lecturer at a university in Central Jakarta.
He claimed that the PBR was a modern and moderate Islamic party, which was not dominated by Islamic organizations like Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah.
To prove its moderate way of thinking, the party has wooed non-Muslims to join the party's local branches and represent it in the upcoming legislative elections in a number of regions, including Papua, Kalimantan and Maluku, Zainal said.
He said the party expected strong support from several provinces, particularly Sumatra and the western part of Java -- West Java, Jakarta and Banten.
He expressed optimism that his party could meet the 3 percent threshold of House seats which it must reach in order to be eligible to contest the presidential election.
In an effort to win more extensive support, the party's policies are focused on job creation, decentralization, better law enforcement and the eradication of corruption.
The PBR is one of five Islamic parties contesting the April general election. The other four are the PPP, Crescent Star Party (PBB), Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), and the Indonesian Nahdlatul Ummah United Party (PPNUI).