PDI Perjuangan, PPP meetings

Two major political parties -- the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and the United Development Party (PPP) -- have been organizing a national congress and a national meeting, respectively, one in Bali and the other in Jakarta.

Though the names of the meetings are different, their aim is the same -- internal consolidation of the parties, which are facing disintegration.

For PDI Perjuangan, the threat of disintegration was caused by the decision by its board of executives to back the reelection of Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso. For PPP, disintegration threatens because of differences over when they should hold their national meeting -- whether in 2003 or 2004.

It seems that PPP leaders are trying to be more accommodating, putting the timing of the meeting on the agenda for its national congress. Meanwhile, there is no sign that the PDI Perjuangan gathering will accommodate its members' aspirations.

From these two parties, we could draw the conclusion that political parties in this nation have yet to teach us how to engage in democracy. Good democracy is one built at the grassroots level, where decisions are made from the voice of the people, the constituents. The people's voice is God's voice.

However, what is happening is that party leaders have taken over that voice. Parties' decisions are their leaders' voices. Worse, parties are identical to their founders or leaders. Although the reform movement has been going for five years and many political parties have emerged, the country's "democracy" is still similar with that of the New Order era.

The voice of the people and the voice of party members mean nothing.

-- Republika