PPP, PDI verging on bankruptcy
JAKARTA (JP): With half of the formal stages that culminate in the May 29 general election complete, the two minor parties have yet to receive government funds to enable them to participate fully.
Both parties -- the United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) -- indicated yesterday they were running out of money after stage six of the 12 election stages. The other political grouping contesting the general election, Golkar, has an abundance of human and financial resources at its disposal.
"We only have a small amount of money to fight the election," PPP Secretary-General Tosari Wijaya said yesterday.
The PPP has not received nor has been informed when it might receive the election funds.
Tosari said the party needed a lot more money for this year's election than it was given for the 1992 poll.
"We need about Rp 4 billion (US$1.7 million) for the election," he said.
He said that campaigning alone would cost the PPP about Rp 1.7 billion.
"We therefore propose a significant increase in government funding for the three political parties contesting the upcoming election," he said.
The PPP received Rp 250 million from the government for the 1992 general election.
The secretary-general said the party had spent Rp 1.5 billion financing the first six stages.
Asked about fund-raising alternatives for the election, Tosari said the PPP would open a bank account for donations from the public.
"We'll announce our bank account details on March 11," he said.
Tosari suggested funds should in the future be allocated through the State Budget to regulate the distribution of government funds to the political parties.
PDI Secretary-General Buttu R. Hutapea said his party had not received government funding either.
"We are still waiting for the result of our request to have an increase in the government funding," Buttu told The Jakarta Post yesterday.
He said PDI received Rp 250 million in election funds in 1992.
"Rp 250 million is not enough anymore. We need at least Rp 1 billion for the election," he said.
Speaking about the PDI's current financial situation, Buttu said the amount of money available was inadequate for the party to continue with the remaining stages.
"We totally rely on the government subsidy of Rp 7.5 million per month for our administrative activities," he said.
As with PPP, Buttu said PDI was planning to open a public bank account to generate funds from the general public.
He also said PDI expected its legislative candidates to contribute to the party's election campaign.
The three contestants will compete for 425 of the 500 seats in the House of Representatives in the election. The remaining 75 seats will be allocated to the Armed Forcers, whose members do not vote. (imn)