PKP seeks to join three major parties' alliance

JAKARTA (JP): The Justice and Unity Party (PKP) -- many of whose activists are Golkar's renegades -- is reportedly seeking to join an alliance already established among the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the National Awakening Party (PKB).

"We are working on details of the stembus akoord (vote-sharing deal)," PKP secretary-general Hayono Isman said Tuesday.

A credible source said a discussion between leaders of the four parties was held on Sunday night at the residence of Megawati Soekarnoputri, chairwoman of PDI Perjuangan.

The meeting was attended by PKB secretary-general Iskandar Muhaimin, PKP chairman Edi Sudradjat as well as PKP patron Sarwono Kusumaatmadja.

"We strongly urge Megawati to include PAN (National Mandate Party) in the deal because we want us all to unite as an anti- status quo group. PAN shares a similar platform with us," the source said.

The source said Megawati was hesitant to include PAN because the party -- led by Amien Rais -- had already signed a joint communique with two Muslim-based parties, namely the Justice Party (PK) and the United Development Party (PPP).

"Mbak Mega wants to think about it further. And hopefully we can agree (about PAN inclusion in the stembus akoord) as long as PAN is proven not to have joined any similar deal ... PPP and Justice Party have had their own deal," he said.

PPP and Justice Party announced Sunday the stembus akoord deal with six other Muslim-based parties.

PAN secretary-general Faisal Basri reiterated his party would only make a deal with PDI Perjuangan, PKB and PKP.

"We'll just have to wait and see that the deal between eight Muslim-based parties is really aimed to beat the status quo.

"To be honest, there are people who doubt the eight parties would really be against status quo," Faisal said.

PAN and PKB were reportedly enraged because PDI Perjuangan negotiator Theo Syafei has held separate covert meetings, discussing the vote-sharing deal with five to ten small nationalist-secular parties.

The move was considered a setback as PAN and PKB would like to maintain their independence and avoid the sharpening differences between the Muslim and Nationalist-secular camps.

"PAN and PKB are not Muslim-oriented parties. But, we are not nationalist-secular parties, either," Faisal said.

A source at PKP said it is likely for the four big parties, PDI Perjuangan, PAN, PKB and PKP, to hold the deal together.

"As for the other small parties, they can make separate arrangements with PDI Perjuangan," he said.

"It is time to let go of our differences as we are running out of time here and we have only until Thursday to decide," Hayono said. (edt)