PKB awaiting Sarwono, Susilo to join party

PKB awaiting Sarwono, Susilo to join party

JAKARTA (JP): National Awakening Party (PKB) chairman Matori
Abdul Djalil claimed on Saturday Minister of Mines and Energy
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Minister of Maritime Exploration
Sarwono Kusumaatmadja would officially join PKB.

Matori maintained that in recent discussions, the two
ministers had stated their willingness to join the party.

He also revealed his intention to appoint the two to seats on
the party's central executive board.

"From our recent discussions with the two ministers, they have
agreed to join PKB," Matori told The Jakarta Post.

He added that the specific party posts to be given the two
would be decided during the party's national congress in June.

PKB was formed in 1999 with broad support from Nadhatul Ulama
(NU), the largest Muslim organization in the country. The party
is also the biggest political supporter of President Abdurrahman
Wahid, who is a former chairman of NU and helped establish the
party.

In the June 1999 general election, PKB was the third largest
vote-getter after the Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan) and Golkar Party.

Matori said the recruitment of the ministers was aimed at
establishing PKB as a more open and nationalist party.

Recently a number of members of the Indonesian Democratic
Party (PDI), including Nico Daryanto and B.N. Marbun, have jumped
ship to join PKB.

However, Sarwono told the Post he had not confirmed that he
would officially join PKB.

"I only said that I would help, and have not yet decided to
join the party, especially with a seat on the central executive
board," he said.

Sarwono maintained he had only spoken to Matori about
assisting the party in various nonofficial duties, such as
presenting ideas or suggestions, but not as an active party
member.

"Basically, I will help any political party that asks for my
help," he said.

When asked whether he would consider joining the party,
Sarwono said he could not answer that question now. "Right now I
am concentrating more on public service in the government, not in
political parties."

Sarwono affirmed that he was officially a member of Golkar
Party, although he said he was uncertain about his status in the
party.

Susilo recently retired from the military, freeing him to join
a political party.

Inclusive

Political observers J. Kristiadi and Riswandha Imawan are of
the opinion that the plan to recruit Sarwono and Susilo is part
of PKB's effort to find national figures who will help the party
keep up with its nationalist-oriented competitors.

"It's a first step for PKB to become a purely inclusive party.
The party realizes that it should accept pluralism if it wants to
win in the 2004 general election," Kristiadi, from the Center for
Strategic and International Studies, said on Sunday.

He stated that a political party which lapses into
hermeticism, whether religions, ethnic or otherwise, will never
win the election.

PKB, he said, is trying to emulate PDI Perjuangan and the
Golkar Party.

According to Kristiadi, Nahdladul Ulama, which makes up the
party's largest supporting grassroots constituency, would not
reject Sarwono and Susilo and other non-NU recruits since the
organization has been known for its moderateness and tolerance.

"I know NU leaders well, they will not reject the outsiders.
NU will remain a mass organization and PKB will become the
affiliated political party," he said.

Citing an example, he said PKB accepted the entry of former
PDI secretary-general Nico and deputy chairman Marbun, who are
Catholics.

Riswandha from Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University said
that PKB recruited the likes of Sarwono and Susilo to improve
its human resources.

"PKB is known as a party with huge followers in the grassroots
arena but it lacks qualified cadres," Riswandha said.

He warned, however, that the arrival of strong figures could
change the direction of the party and possibly throw its platform
into turmoil.

Riswandha dismissed fears that the recruitment of Sarwono and
Susilo would hamper PKB's close relations with PDI Perjuangan,
saying that the two figures do not have records of opposition to
the country's largest party. (44/dja/jun)