Yogie says `no' to establishment of new party
Yogie says `no' to establishment of new party
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. ruled
out yesterday the establishment of a new political party as
pondered by Moslem ulemas who are dismayed by the existing
parties' inability to accommodate their wishes.
Yogie pointed out that the 1985 law on political parties
limits the number of political organizations allowed to contest
the five yearly general elections to three: the United
Development Party (PPP), Golkar and the Indonesian Democratic
Party (PDI).
Yogie described the proposal for a new party as an "emotional
move" made by ulemas infuriated by their recent failure to clinch
the PPP chairmanship.
"Let's just implement the law and not fight for something
unacceptable to many people," Yogie said after a meeting on
domestic affairs with the House of Representatives (DPR)
Commission II.
The minister was responding to a controversial plan by ulemas
affiliated with Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) who are opposed to the re-
election of the Moslem-based PPP's Ismail Hasan Metareum.
Disgruntled ulemas spearheaded by Yusuf Hasyim and Alawy
Muhammad, both from East Java, say that the three existing
government-controlled political organizations are increasingly
unable to defend the people's interests.
Yogie questioned the philosophy behind the ulemas' move to
form a new party because NU has formally withdrawn from party
politics since 1984.
NU, Indonesia's largest organization claiming 35 million
members and once a powerful political party, decided in 1984 to
quit politics and focus on the economic and social welfare of its
members.
Yusuf Hasyim acknowledged on Monday that his plan to start a
new political party would not be easy because he had to seek
amendment of the 1985 law, a venture that would likely be blocked
by not only the existing organizations but also by the Armed
Forces (ABRI) which is also represented in the House.
A member of the highest law-making body, the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR), Hasyim said the initiative to form a
new party came not only from NU leaders but also from groups
dismayed by the existing political organizations.
"The initiative has to be made public now to generate public
debate and the results may be seen in the next six years," he
said as quoted by Antara.
The ulemas' political maneuvering, which runs foul of NU's
formal policy, has triggered concern among government officials
and some Moslem groups.
Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher said yesterday
that influential ulemas who control great numbers of students
were being used by politicians for their personal ends.
But it is also possible, he said, that the ulemas make
themselves available to be used by the politicians. "Their move
confuses their followers," he said.
The minister called on Moslems to "use their heads" so as not
to be mentally lost amid the confusing political statements from
their ulemas.
Meanwhile, the debate among NU ulemas about what to do in the
wake of their failed bid to grab the PPP's top spot earlier this
month continued yesterday.
In the Central Java capital of Semarang, prominent ulema Sahal
Mahfudz said that the scholars should accept the reality and stop
making a fuss.
"It's wrong to assume that PPP's vote tally in the 1997
general election would soar if the party is lead by an NU
figure," he said.
Sahal, one of the NU chairman's deputies, argued that Moslems
in general are nowadays no longer paternalistic like those in the
1950s when Islamic leaders were able to control the masses.
"Now, people will examine what a political organization offers
in its programs before deciding whether to join," he said.
(pan/har)