Anton Aliabbas, Jakarta – The Pancasila Patriot Party is incensed after being referred to as part of the New Order [of former President Suharto] and has made a complaint to police against the general chairperson of the People’s Democratic Party (PRD), Yusuf Lakaseng, who published a list of political parties which are part of the New Order [on Monday January 26].

The complaint, which was made by the vice-chairperson of the Pancasila Patriot Party, Henry Yosodiningrat, was made at the Jakarta police headquarters on Tuesday January 27.

The Patriot Party, which is lead by Yapto S. Soerjo Soemarno, is of the view that Lakaseng’s inclusion of their party’s name in a list of parties which are part of the New Order is a slander against their good name.

Yosodiningrat denied that the party is part of the New Order. He also explained that none of the criteria which was used by the PRD applied to their party.

“The Patriot Party is not included in the criteria which referred to us having the potential to take repressive action against the people and not to have a program to respond to the problems of society. We have a program”, explained Yosodiningrat.

Yosodiningrat added that they made the complaint simply to defend the party’s honor. “We are defending the honor of the party by making a report to police headquarters. We hope that the police will look into it and carry out an investigation including taking it to court”, said Yosodiningrat.

[Translated by James Balowski.]