Three political parties are enough: Siswono

JAKARTA (JP): A senior government official on Saturday called on Indonesia's three political organizations to better accommodate the public's aspirations.

Siswono Yudohusodo, a member of the ruling Golkar's board of patrons, said that Indonesia does not need any more political parties as long as the existing ones improve their performances.

"History has shown us that having many political parties was no good, because they bashed each other and stirred up political chaos," he said while addressing a gathering of Golkar members in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara.

Indonesia has three political organizations: Golkar, the United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI). They are mergers of 10 political parties, completed in 1973.

Critics say that the three have been co-opted by the bureaucracy and have largely failed to defend the people's interests.

Recently, former PPP legislator Sri Bintang Pamungkas established a new party -- the Indonesian Democratic Union Party -- which the government does not recognize.

Siswono, who is also the minister of transmigration, said the effectiveness of political communication is not dictated by the number, but by the quality of political organizations.

He said that as Indonesians become more economically prosperous and educated, there will be an increase in demands that political organizations will have to address.

Siswono called on Golkar activists to be wary of people who are out to discredit the government by spreading false information that development programs have brought about little benefit for the masses.

"You Golkar cadres should be able to explain the success of development," he was quoted as saying by the Antara news agency.

However, he said, it should be acknowledged that there are shortcomings in the development programs that should be addressed. "People tend to exploit the negative side and overlook the success," he said. (pan)