PPP changes its course at last

PPP changes its course at last

By Santi WE Soekanto

The United Development Party, established on Jan. 5, 1973, puts on a big bash in Surabaya today. The party is changing its strategy to garner new voters for the 1997 general election. The Jakarta Post presents the following story and another article on Page 2.

JAKARTA (JP): "I'm considering voting for the United Development Party (PPP) in the 1997 general election because it's becoming more outspoken lately," says a young woman wearing a veil about the Moslem-based party which celebrates its 23rd anniversary today in Surabaya.

"PPP is now more attractive. If it keeps on being critical of the government and (the ruling) Golkar, I may vote for it," says another young Moslem woman.

The women's observations were right on target. Observers have acknowledged that there has indeed been some changes taking place in the party which for some time has been branded docile.

Previously called "anti-changes" and "supporter the of (political) status quo", PPP has been spending recent months lashing out at the establishment. Its executives, including chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum, have given heated speeches on various issues, from corruption and collusion to cheating and other manipulations during general elections.

"This new outspokenness is a political tactic to attract voters, especially the first-time voters," according to Maswadi Rauf, a lecturer at the University of Indonesia's School of Social and Political Sciences in Depok, West Java.

His opinion was seconded by Ramlan Surbakty and Aribowo, both from the Airlangga University in Surabaya.

"PPP is changing its course," Aribowo said.

"People still remember how docile and seemingly close to the government the party was around its 1994 congress," Ramlan said. "Now, people are surprised at how critical PPP has become."

Both Maswadi and Ramlan pointed out that in the coming elections, some 20 million first-time voters will join 100 million other people eligible to vote.

It is clear that PPP has to hurry up and grab whatever time it can get to convince new voters that it's the suitable venue for them to voice their political aspirations.

Unfortunately, the party seems to be the only party without specific political issues to bring up in order to attract attention, Ramlan pointed out.

"The party can't attract voters using religious issues because the other two political contestants now have equal claim over them."

Both the ruling Golkar, led by Harmoko, and the nationalist- Christian alliance Indonesian Democratic (PDI), under Megawati Soekarnoputri, have striven to convince Moslem leaders they are more than welcome in the groupings.

If PPP wants to compete with the increasingly attractive PDI in winning the hearts of young voters, it will be hard put because it does not have the necessary characteristics.

PPP needs not only come forward with certain issues, such as democracy or an anti-establishment drive, but it must also figure out who appeals to the young voters, according to Ramlan.

Sri Bintang Pamungkas, a PPP legislator who was dismissed by the party early last year, represented such a figure, both Ramlan and Maswadi agreed. The enfant terrible of the party, with his tough and critical stance towards his own party, could have been an asset to the party in luring young voters.

"One of the weaknesses of PPP is that it appears to have been neglecting young people," Maswadi said. "It comes across as a party of the old people. It's because PPP has not often spoken about issues which are important to young people."

In short, now PPP is now at a loss as to what kind of political commodities it should bring to the coming general election, the observers pointed out.

There are people who blame the condition on the fact that PPP can no longer claim to be solely an "Islamic party". A young medical doctor employed at the Bhayangkari Hospital in Surabaya, said he would not vote for PPP because the party "no longer has the identity of Islam".

"If PPP wants to regain the support of the Moslems voters it has lost it should return to its previous identity, which was an Islamic political party," Dr. Wulyanto said.

Otherwise, "what would happen to many Moslem youths like me who don't want to vote either for Golkar or PDI?" he said.

In its 23 years of existence, PPP has indeed been through many changes. Observers, however, noted that there were at least two politically significant experiences which more or less reduced its strength.

In its first congress in 1984, the party, which was a merger of four Moslem political parties, decided to declare itself a sociopolitical organization based on the state-ideology Pancasila.

It also changed its logo for the 1987 general election from the Kaaba into a star, something which people said somewhat reduced its power base among Moslems.

The second blow came when Nahdlatul Ulama, a major Moslem organization which joined the merger in 1973, decided to withdraw its support of the party in 1987.

Consequently, PPP which twice won 94 seats in the 400- contested seats of the House of Representatives during the 1977 and 1982 elections, won only 61 seats in the 1987 elections. In 1992, it increased its votes by only 1 percent and received 62 seats in the House.