PPP optimistic of winning 2004 polls

PPP optimistic of winning 2004 polls

JAKARTA: The Muslim-based United Development Party (PPP) has expressed confidence it will win the votes of Muslims across the nation in the 2004 general elections, despite the sprouting of many new political parties, including Muslim-oriented ones.

"We are not worried or threatened that many more political parties will be competing in the 2004 elections ... we are instead quite optimistic that PPP can win the elections," deputy chairman of the PPP's executive board, Bachtiar Chamsyah, told reporters in Palu, Central Sulawesi on Thursday.

PPP is currently chaired by Vice President Hamzah Haz.

"Our party is very old, and rich in the experience of politicking. This is one factor that works to the advantage of PPP, in comparison to other new parties," Bachtiar, who is also the minister of social affairs, said.

Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world.

Bachtiar quickly added that the establishment of PPP Reformasi, a splinter group from PPP led by noted cleric Zainuddin M.Z., did not trouble PPP.

Earlier, Hamzah and Zainuddin reached an agreement not to condemn each other so as to avoid conflicts at the grassroots level.

Principally the two camps agreed to struggle within one political stance, namely developing an Islamic party into a much bigger political unity. -- Antara