What are new parties up to?

What are new parties up to?

By Ignatius Haryanto

JAKARTA (JP): Just like water gushing forth when a clogged tap
is suddenly opened, the people's craving to set up political
parties is at the height of its intensity.

In less than two weeks, at least nine groups have turned into
political parties. The Musyawarah Kekeluargaan Gotong Royong
(MKGR) has declared itself a political party, followed by Partai
Karya Ulama Indonesia (the Indonesian Ulemas Functional Party).
The two groups were previously affiliated to the ruling political
grouping Golkar.

They have been followed by Partai Syarikat Islam Indonesia
(the Indonesian Islamic Association Party), formerly part of the
United Development Party (PPP). There is a plan to set up Partai
Pekerja Indonesia (the Indonesian Workers Party). Sri Bintang,
meanwhile, will proceed with his Partai Uni Demokrasi Indonesia
(Indonesian Democratic Union Party) which was illegal under
Soeharto's administration.

Other names are also emerging on the list of new political
parties.

For over 20 years, the people have been familiar only with
three political parties: a very powerful government party, Golkar
and two other minor parties, the PPP which in the last two years
has taken over the mantle of the main opposition, and the
Indonesian Democratic Party, which is at present badly
fragmented.

The people actually have only a little understanding about
political parties in the sense that the existing parties still
have to express themselves in a way conforming to the public's
demands. The logical consequence of community members joining a
political party is that both sides -- the public and the parties
-- now assume responsibility.

The party will fight for the people's aspirations, listen to
their complaints and even make itself a vehicle to pressure the
government with respect to its own interests. In return, party
members will vote for their party in elections.

However, how have political parties fared in recent times?
Have they gained recognition by listening to the public's
aspirations, fighting for their interests and becoming pressure
groups?

In the latest elections and the General Session of the
People's Consultative Assembly in March 1998, political parties
cheated the people rather than represented them.

The public's appeal for a change of leadership was dismissed
by political parties which simply maintained the status quo. When
the era of reform was ushered in by the students, the existing
political parties suddenly claimed that they were also
instrumental behind changing the political landscape.

It is clear these parties are rapidly becoming obsolete. The
more conservative they become the quicker people will abandon
them.

The ball of reform will continue rolling, thanks to the
student movement, which emerged uncontaminated by an interest in
power and forced Soeharto to step down.

The emergence of new political parties is an interesting
phenomenon. There are worries that it signifies the return to
sectarian politics that will lead to political instability as in
the 1950s.

For sure a party will take, as its point of departure, its
main constituent, for example a religious group. One can find in
Indonesian history since early this century that there have
always been groups acting on behalf of religious groups.

However, in this case efforts must be made to maintain the
balance between the interests of a group of people as party
exponents and those of broad segments of the community. The
upcoming elections will tell whether or not parties of this type
will succeed in recruiting large numbers of supporters.

As for those who are worried that the 1950s political
instability will return, one must first bear in mind that there
are at least two factors distinguishing the situation in the
1950s from that of the late 1990s.

First, the national education level is much higher now than in
the 1950s. Despite the economic difficulties, the people have
become more critical in deciding which values are really
essential to hold on to. The decision now is to choose between
political parties or basic commodities.

Second, the people are still stumbling through the hangover of
political emasculation. A more profound survey must be conducted
to find out whether broad segments of the public are really
enthusiastic about setting up political parties.

It may well be that this is only the aspiration of certain
circles, say, the middle class, who have long drawn up a certain
political agenda, be it in the interests of social welfare or in
pursuit of power.

Furthermore, in the 1950s the many political parties did not
necessarily lead to frequent riots, violence or even murder of
political rivals. Indonesia's first election in 1995 was the most
democratic one ever. Disputes took place elegantly through
writing discourses and in the parliament without any side
resorting to rallying criminal mobs or inciting destruction. The
atmosphere of a festivity, the New Order rhetoric, was indeed
fully experienced in this first general election.

Nevertheless, one must place hope in the newly emerging
parties. They can be expected to listen more closely to the
public's complaints and aspirations and should not simply sell
their ideals in the pursuit of power.

What is urgently needed now is a party oriented toward the
creation of a more democratic community with social justice, one
that defends the interests of workers and is characterized with
better respect for human rights, for laws and fair trials and
also for the environment.

In any case, as researchers at the National Institute of
Sciences have stated, elections are tests of a party's
acceptability and vehicles for the circulation of the political
elite.

Political leadership is not a given privilege of a particular
group, but rather the result of hard-won trust from the people
through earnest efforts to listen to their aspirations.

Parties or groups of people considering themselves capable of
being involved in a fair competition will have an equal in it.

When they do all these things, the political leaders will be
providing the community with political education which is pure
and the public will become politically mature.

It is also at this juncture that the rich potential of the
nation, perhaps only buried all these years, will show itself and
be put to a test, leaving finally only new figures sincerely
concerned with the interests of broad, not simply limited, groups
of people.

In the end, the nation will act as the fair judge over the
latest turn of events. In its own way, it will express its own
interest and trust in the latest twist of political events.
Obsolete figures who have considerably harmed the interests of
the people need no longer be praised and those who have neglected
their own people will deserve condemnation.

As for the new leaders, people will soon find out who is
capable of keeping price increases in check and making basic
necessities readily available.

The writer is the chairman of the Jakarta-based Institute for
Press and Development Studies.

Window: The emergence of new political parties is an interesting
phenomenon. There are worries that it signifies the return to
sectarian politics that will lead to political instability as in
the 1950s.