Nurul Hidayati, Jakarta – The Department of Justice and Human Rights has announced that 47 political parties have successfully completed their documentation and will undergo verification to be registered as legal entities. Not recorded among these are two that that have taken up the banner of the New Order regime and former President Suharto.

One of the parties that failed to be included in the 47 was the New Order Party (POB). Prior to the period for the submission of party documentation specified by the Department of Justice, the party was included among 115 political parties that had registered themselves with the department. It appears however that since then the party has failed to build itself sufficiently in order to be able to furnish the required documentation.

The party’s name is clearly unique and rather “audacious”, bearing in mind that some sections of the public still hold a negative view of things that smack of Suharto’s New Order.

Why then did the party fail to fulfill the requirements? Unfortunately, when the party’s hotline was contacted there was no information worthy of reporting. The hotline was answered by a housekeeper who knew nothing at all about the New Order Party.

The other party that failed to submit the required documentation was the Light of Suharto Functional Party (PKPS). In the same vein as the New Order Party, its choice of name is also quite shocking.

According to the Department of Justice and Human Rights website, two cell phone numbers are recorded as the party’s hotline. One of the numbers that was rung by Detik.com on Thursday February 28 reached a mailbox. The other number meanwhile was answered by a man name Mada. “Yes this was their contact number before, but not anymore. Because I’m no longer in the party, [I] resigned”, said Mada when rung at 8am in the morning.

Mada already knew that the party he once supported had failed to complete the requirements to take part in the 2009 elections. It did not however know about recent development within the party.

For the moment it seems, both parties are destined to become just a memory, since it is certain that neither will be able to participate in the elections. But who knows, perhaps in the next elections, when the moment is right, they will resurface and reawaken the golden memories of Suharto and the New Order regime. (nrl/umi)

[Translated by James Balowski.]