Small Muslim parties to merge, name Adi chairman

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)