Sjahrir declares new party

Sjahrir declares new party

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Noted economist Sjahrir declared on Monday the establishment
of the New Indonesia Alliance Party (PIB), whose immediate aim is
to contest the 2004 general election.

In his speech before 3,000 people attending the ceremony held
at Hotel Indonesia, Sjahrir said the new party sought to revive
the economic sector for a new Indonesia through reasonable
politics, adding that it also aims to "create a healthy, clean
and dynamic political environment".

The economist was elected the new party's chairman with Taufik
Darusman as the secretary-general.

Among those attending the event was fellow economist Hadi
Soesastro, who is the executive director of the Centre for
Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

Sjahrir, a former student activist in the 1970s, expressed
hope that the new party would be able to create new jobs, raise
tax revenue, improve economic growth and eradicate poverty.

PIB is the latest party to be set up by public figures during
the past few months.

The other three parties founded were the Pioneer Party by
President Megawati Soekarnoputri's sister Rachmawati
Soekarnoputri, the Bung Karno Nationalist Party by composer-
turned-politician Eros Djarot and the Unity Democracy and
Nationhood Party by political observer Ryaas Rasyid and Andi M.
Mallarangeng.