Political parties support Golkar redefinition idea
Political parties support Golkar redefinition idea
JAKARTA (JP): The two minority parties -- the United
Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI)
-- supported yesterday the idea of redefining Golkar's position
in the political system.
PPP's secretary-general, Tosari Widjaya, and PDI legislator
V.B. da Costa agreed with constitutional law expert Harun
Alrasyid who said recently that Golkar should be declared a
political party.
Golkar stands for Golongan Karya (Functional Group) and does
not call itself a political party, even though it contests
elections and is the dominant group in Indonesian politics.
"Golkar plays the role of a political party. It should,
therefore, declare itself a political party," Tosari said.
Da Costa, who is PDI's member of House Commission III for
Legal Affairs, said Golkar's activities were similar to those of
a political party so its name should be changed to that of a
political party.
"If Golkar understood the definition of a political party, it
would realize that it should have not conducted political
activities," he said.
On Monday University of Indonesia law professor Harun Alrasyid
said Golkar should not take up seats in the House of
Representatives as long as it refused to call itself a party.
At a seminar on Golkar's political concepts in Yogyakarta,
Harun said Golkar's proper place was not the House of
Representatives but the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).
Harun said Golkar should review its status because it was
effectively a political party and no longer a functional group.
The 1945 Constitution's second article states that the House
of Representatives is a forum for political parties and, he said,
the constitution provided the MPR for functional groups.
He said if Golkar was a functional group its proper place was
the MPR.
Tosari said there should be consensus among the three
political organizations over what Golkar's position in the
political system should be.
He agreed with Harun that with its current status, Golkar
representatives should not sit in the House but in the MPR.
Meanwhile, Da Costa called for a thorough evaluation on Law
No. 3/1985 on Political Parties and Golkar.
"The law does not define a political party's role and
activities. It only stipulates the three contestants'
participation in the general elections," he said.
Harun's opinion was strongly criticized by Suhardiman, one of
Golkar's founders 33 years ago.
"Harun must be politically blind and have no knowledge of
Golkar's history," said Suhardiman, who is chairman of the
Golkar-affiliated workers' union SOKSI.
Golkar was formed with the help of the Army in 1964 to unite
professional and nonpolitical groups to counter the growing
strength of unions affiliated with the Indonesian Communist Party
(PKI).
The PKI was banned after its abortive coup attempt in 1965,
and Golkar became Indonesia's dominant political force.
Golkar won 74 percent of the vote in last May's general
election.
It was Golkar's sixth consecutive election win since 1971,
when the first general election under the New Order government
was held. (imn)