Yudha Setiawan – As many as 53 new political parties have registered with the Department of Justice and Human Rights. “The total number of parties will continue to grow”, said Syamsudin Manan Sinaga, the director general for public legal administration yesterday.

According to Sinaga, the parties that have registered must still fulfil the requirements, which include having a certificate of registration of the party’s formation and a minimum of 50 regional management board members. After this the department will conduct a verification. “But the verification must wait until the ratification of the laws on political parties”, he said.

The House of Representatives are currently deliberating a packet of new draft laws on political parties. “Hopefully it will be finished this year. If the process drags on it could create problems for political parties that want to take part in the 2009 general elections”, said Sinaga.

[Translated by James Balowski.]