PDI Perjuangan rules out option of federal state
PDI Perjuangan rules out option of federal state
JAKARTA (JP): Poll winner the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) wrapped up on Sunday night its national
meeting with a statement rejecting adoption of a federal system
for the country.
"A unitary state is an unnegotiable price. It will become our
political stance," PDI Perjuangan secretary-general Alexander
Litaay said.
Alex recounted the country's experiment of applying a
federated state during the reign of founding president Sukarno in
1950, a move which lasted only eight months.
"It was proven that federalism was rejected by the people,"
Alex said, adding that the party would oppose any breaches of the
1945 Constitution, which rules that the Republic of Indonesia is
a unitary state.
He said the demand for federalism had mounted because people
rejected the way former governments managed the unitary state
instead of the system itself.
"The federalism demand reflects protests against mismanagement
by the former governments," Alex said.
He said an immediate enactment of Law No. 22/1999 on regional
autonomy and Law No. 25/1999 on fiscal balance between central
government and regional administrations would be more appropriate
measures to counter federalism demands.
He played down a possibility of criticism being lodged by PDI
Perjuangan supporters and people in general for the party's
rejection of federalism.
"How many percent of the public support federalism?" he said
"Why should we be afraid to defend the unitary state, which in
fact was the ideal of our founding fathers who proclaimed our
independence?"
PDI Perjuangan deputy chairman Dimyati Hartono maintained the
party line, saying that the idea of federalism only received
support from a small proportion of the country's population.
"We cannot tolerate a federal state," Dimyati said, adding
that PDI Perjuangan would firmly uphold the unitary state.
The party, led by Soekarno's daughter -- Vice President
Megawati Soekarnoputri -- won more than 31 percent of the total
vote in the June elections for 158 seats in the House of
Representatives.
People's Consultative Assembly Speaker (MPR) Amien Rais, who
is also the National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman, is a staunch
proponent of federalism.
Amien has repeatedly called for a federal state, saying the
move is needed to maintain unity and provide regional governments
with more revenue and power.
PDI Perjuangan's faction in the House lodged last week a
protest against Amien. The faction said Amien had violated the
oath taken for his MPR speaker position, which specifically
pledges a willingness to uphold the unitary state.
Amien denied the accusation, saying that he discussed
federalism in a personal capacity.
In a recent meeting of the MPR's Ad Hoc Committee, Hamdan
Zulva from the Crescent Star Party faction and Patrialis Akbar
from the Reform faction urged the Assembly to throw open the idea
of a federal state to the public for further discussion.
"Federalism should be revived in an attempt to implement a
united states of Indonesia that will ensure justice for all
people," Patrialis said.
The Reform faction was formed by PAN and the Justice Party
(PK). Patrialis is a legislator from PAN.
Other factions in the Ad Hoc committee, including the Golkar
Party of Reform, the United Development Party (PPP), the National
Awakening Party (PKB) and the Indonesian Military (TNI) have
underlined their commitment to maintaining the unitary state as
stipulated by the Constitution.
The debate over federalism was sparked by demands from the
natural resources-rich provinces of Riau and East Kalimantan that
Indonesia adopt a federated state. Aceh and Irian Jaya have
demanded independence.
Alex said on Sunday the three-day party meeting was for
consolidation measures prior to a PDI Perjuangan congress
scheduled for March, in which party executives will decide
Megawati's fate.
He said that many provincial chapters wished to reelect
Megawati for another three-year term. Megawati was elected in
October to the vice presidency. (jun)