PKP to change name in 2004 elections

PKP to change name in 2004 elections

JAKARTA (JP): The Justice and Unity Party (PKP) intends to
change its name if it cannot suspend the implementation of a
minimum threshold requirement which would bar it from contesting
in the 2004 general election.

Party chairman Gen. (ret.) Edi Sudrajat said on Monday the
party's name might be changed to the Justice and Nation Unity
Party (PKPB).

"We are committed to maintaining the party and not coalescing
with other parties," said Edi, former Minister of Defense/Chief
of the Indonesian Military.

PKP currently has four legislators in the 500-member House of
Representatives.

According to Law No. 3/1999, a party should secure at least 10
seats in the House to be able to contest in the next election.

One alternative for parties who do not meet the requirement is
to change their name and apply as a new party.

Edi said his party is currently striving to amend or postpone
the application of the law.

He maintains that it was unfairly applied as most of the
parties which contested the 1999 general election were new
parties with little preparation.

"We just prepared the party three months before the elections.
So it's not fair," Edi contended.

He said new parties, such as the National Awakening Party
(PKB) and the National Mandate Party (PAN), were able to secure a
significant number of votes because they were based on the two
largest Muslim organizations Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah
respectively.

PKP is regarded as a splinter of the Golkar Party.

Edi, who was deputy chairman of Golkar, was defeated by Akbar
Tandjung during Golkar's chairmanship election in July 1998.

Meanwhile, the party's secretary-general, Hayono Isman, said
the party would hold its first congress here from Oct. 16 until
Oct. 18, to elect its new national leadership.

Former Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Hayono mentioned
several names, including himself, Edi and Minister of
Transportation Agum Gumelar, as candidates for the chair.

He said the congress would be attended by about 1,170
representatives from across the country. (jun)