Small Muslim parties to merge, name Adi chairman

JAKARTA (JP): Twelve Muslim-based parties which collected only 3 percent of votes among them in last year's general election announced on Tuesday their plan to merge for the next polls in 2004.

No name has been decided for the new party, but leaders of the tiny parties have unanimously nominated former minister of cooperatives, small and medium enterprises, Adi Sasono, as the first chairman, an executive said.

"I think Adi Sasono is the best man to lead the new party," Jumhur Hidayat, secretary general of the People's Sovereignty Party (PDR), which has close ties with Adi, said.

Jumhur said Adi, who served in the government of President B.J. Habibie that ended in October last year, is known as a charismatic figure. Adi's grandfather, Mohammad Roem, was the founding father of Masyumi, a strong Muslim party in times past.

In addition to PDR, the Muslim People's Party (PUI), the United Party (PP), the Abul Yatama Party, the Muslim Awakening Party (PKU), the Masyumi Islamic Party, the Nahdlatul Ummat Party (PNU), the Indonesian Muslim People's Party (PUMI), the Islam Democrat Party, the United Islam Indonesia Party (PSII) and the Indonesian Muslim Awakening Party (KAMI) will make up the new party.

Jumhur suggested that PUI chairman Deliar Noer could chair the new party's supervisory board.

Deliar said that he did not object to Adi's nomination.

"It's okay. We can discuss it further," he said in a press conference on Tuesday.

He said there had been strong support from the 12 parties to join forces in the 2004 elections.

"Some of the party chairmen told me they wanted to dissolve their parties and merge into one party," said Deliar, who is also known as a legal and political expert.

Deliar said the new party would take Islam as a basis, but Jumhur said such a sectarian orientation was not necessary. (jun)