PPP introduces new vision, paradigm for 1999 election

JAKARTA (JP): Ahead of its extraordinary Congress, slated for Nov. 29 through Dec. 3, the United Development Party (PPP) has been launching several strategic issues as part of its efforts to maintain its existence in the politics of the reform era.

The party has a lot of work ahead to maintain support among its traditional supporters, and to widen its base among the younger Moslem generation.

Its following is now divided with voters looking for new parties with fresh outlooks. While several new parties have announced their explicitly Moslem identity, PPP only recently said it would re-adopt its original identity as a Moslem party.

In line with the 1985 law on Political Parties and Golkar which stated parties and sociopolitical organizations should adhere to Pancasila as their sole principle, PPP had to shed its formal Moslem image. It relied on Moslem supporters but increasingly educated voters were alienated from PPP and political parties altogether.

Now potential competition, analysts say, would be from the National Mandate Party, the National Awakening Party and the Crescent Star Party -- all led by renowned Moslem intellectuals.

PPP hopes potential supporters will remember its hard work in the recent Special Session of the People's Consultative Assembly.

This week, because of PPP's insistence that the new bill on parties being deliberated by legislators no longer contain the requirement of Pancasila as a sole ideology, the subject will be put to the vote.

It was PPP's Assembly faction which made possible the airing of some of the issues much demanded by students and activists at the Assembly session, including the abolition of the Armed Forces' (ABRI) representation in the House and the investigation into former president Soeharto's personal wealth.

Securing support from the Golkar and Armed Forces factions, the two issues won unanimous approval from the 1,000-member Assembly. The gradual reduction of ABRI seats in the House of Representatives was legislated into the MPR decree on elections, and the investigation into former president Soeharto's wealth was inserted into the decree on clean governance.

PPP was born in January 1973 out of an amalgamation of four political organizations -- the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the Muslimin Indonesia (MI), the Syarekat Islam (SI) and the Persatuan Tarbiyah Islamiyah (Perti). NU resigned from the party in 1984 citing its original 1921 statute declaring it a social organization.

Instead of a new vision and paradigm -- given the tight competition -- PPP's achievement in next year's general election would likely rest on the figure of its next chairman.

After chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum had announced his unwillingness to be renominated or reelected in the five-day party congress, several names have been declared as candidates for the 1998-2003 PPP chairman.

Two PPP executive board members, deputy chairman Hamzah Haz, an NU figure, and controversial MI figure A.M. Saefuddin, State Minister of Food and Horticulture, top the preliminary polling among party cadres.

Several influential PPP chapters in East Java and South Kalimantan have expressed support for Hamzah, also the State Minister of Investment/Chairman of the Investment Coordinating Board.

Meanwhile, PPP's Jakarta chapter and the Riau chapter have declared their support for Saefuddin, who is also supported by several young PPP cadres. The race for the PPP leadership became more interesting after another PPP deputy chairman Jusuf Syakir and renowned secretary-general of the National Commission on Human Rights Baharuddin Lopa were described as "dark horses".

Former PPP chairman Jaelani Naro, two times serving PPP chairman for the 1979-1984 and the 1984-1989 periods, has also expressed his willingness to participate in the election.

Naro still has charisma among some PPP cadres, resulting from his sensational 1988 nomination for the vice presidency. He challenged then vice president Sudharmono, whose nomination was recognized by then president Soeharto.

To help members decide, former student activist Saleh Khalid has suggested a debate forum for all candidates.

"I'm not against those who support or reject certain candidates because the decision will completely rest on the Congress participants themselves." (imn)