PPP calls for political reforms
PPP calls for political reforms
JAKARTA (JP): Senior politician Ismail Hasan Metareum called
on the government and the majority of the legislative body
yesterday to help usher in political reforms in the country.
The chairman of the Moslem-based United Development Party
(PPP) said in Cipayung, West Java, that the changes, however,
should be made within the context of the nation's interests.
"Reforms and changes won't give maximum results unless they
give appropriate space to (the principles of) unity...and
equality," Ismail said during the opening of the party's
leadership meeting.
He was quoted by the Suara Pembaruan daily as saying that the
PPP is always "monitoring national development and designing
reforms and changes which are democratic, constitutional, and in
line with the principles of equality and unity".
He said that the votes obtained by any political parties
during the general elections should be accompanied by a
responsibility to uphold the people's sovereignty. The general
elections should also be part of a total effort to develop the
political rights of civilians.
"If the winning political party fails to play this role, it
will definitely be abandoned (by its constituents), although
physically those people can still be pushed or ordered to yell
slogans of support for the parties," he said.
In the most recent election in 1992, the ruling Golkar won 68
percent of the votes, the PPP 17 percent and the nationalist
Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) 15 percent. Four hundred of the
500 seats in the House were divided accordingly.
The gathering, held at the Wisma Jaya Raya resort, was opened
by Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. and will last
through tomorrow.
In his speech, Yogie said the political climate would heat up
in the run-up to the 1997 general elections, which he called "a
positive sign of the increasing public enthusiasm in political
life."
Yogie also called for general efforts to keep order in the
national political life, and to boost public political
participation. (swe)