Jakarta – New political parties continue to surface. After 27 new political parties registered recently with the department of justice and human rights, there is now one more party, the National Liberation Party of Unity (PPPN or Papernas), that is ready to follow suit.
The party, which has a nationalist, democratic and populist ideology, will hold a national congress in late November. “We are guessing around November 26-29”, said PPPN public relations officer Iwan Dwi Laksono. The event, which will be held at the Senayan Sports Arena in South Jakarta, will involve tens of thousands of participants from the Jakarta and surrounding areas.
The PPPN was established by long-term activists. Its chairperson, Dominggus Oktavianus, was previously the head of the Indonesian National Labour Front for Struggle (FNPBI). He replaced Dita Indah Sari who is now the chairperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PRD).
In 2004, leaders of the PRD also formed the Party of United Opposition (Popor) that failed to pass the electoral threshold and was unable to take part in the general elections. They have now changed its name and are hoping to participate in the 2009 general elections.
Iwan is convinced that this time round the PPPN’s chances passing the electoral threshold are quite good. Based on an internal verification process, the party whose general secretary is Lukman Hakim already has branches in 135 cities and 201 sub-districts. “The majority of our constituents are from outside of Java”, he continued. This includes Bali, East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, South, West and Central Sulawesi as well as Kalimantan, Maluku and West Papua.
PPPN will later be competing with numerous other new political parties that have already registered with the department of justice and human rights such as the Generation Party (Partai Generasi), the Indonesian Youth Awakening Party (Partai Indonesia Muda Bangkit), the Indonesia Advance Party (Partai Indonesia Maju), the Indonesia Archipelago Party (Partai Nusantara Indonesia), the United Islamic Party (Partai Islam Persatuan), the Labour Solidarity Party (Partai Solidaritas Buruh), the Labour Party (Partai Buruh), the My Republic Party (Partai Republikku), the Indonesia Murba Party (Partai Murba Indonesia), the Indonesian Nationalist Party of Marhaen Masses (PNI Massa Marhaen), the New Order Party (Partai Orde Baru), the Satrio Piningit Party (Partai Satrio Piningit) and the Marhaen Indonesia Nationalist Party (Partai PNI Marhaen). (cak)
[Translated by James Balowski.]
