National Liberation Party of Unity to be formed
Kompas - July 24, 2006
Jakarta — In the mist criticism over the
performance of the political parties, a number of
elite parties have initiated a process of internal
consolidation as well as using public forums — not
just the parliament — to issue statements. A new
political party is also started to emerge.
On Sunday July 23 in Jakarta, no less than three
political parities held activities to mobilise their
supporters. The general chairperson of the central
leadership board of the National Awakening Party
(PKB), Muhaimin Iskandar, called on all components
of his party and other political parities to get rid
of the tendency to politicise all kinds of issues
and reform themselves by having a clearer commitment
to the interests of broader society.
Iskandar conveyed this yesterday after presenting a
political speech at a peak reception to commemorate
eight years of the PKB on the grounds of the Jakarta
Raya A Arena Pekan Hall in Kemayoran. Present at the
reception were PKB party members and supporters from
around the country and a number of pubic figures
such as Laode Ida (deputy speaker of the Regional
Representatives Council), AM Fatwa (deputy speaker
of the People’s Consultative Assembly), Agung
Laksono (speaker of the House of Representatives),
Erman Suparno (minister for labour and
transmigration) and Jimly Asshidiqqie (the head of
the Constitutional Court).
"Many government officials have yet to work all out
when faced by crisis. They take it easy or go to and
go back and forth from Jakarta as if they are busy
doing something, but they are not. As a consequence
distrust has surfaced among ordinary people, not
just with regard to political parties but also the
government", said Iskandar.
Separately, the chair of the steering committee of
the national collective leadership board of the
Democratic Party of Renewal (PDP), Roy BB Janis,
called on the political elite not to just criticise
the performance of President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono’s government, but also assist in seeking a
solution in order that the nation does not continue
to sink into crisis. "The political elite should
become part of the solution, not become part of the
national problem", said Janis after inaugurating the
Jakarta regional collective leadership board of PDP
at the Proclamation Monument on Sunday.
The government’s weaknesses should not just be
blamed on President Yudhoyono, but also on the vice
president as well as the United Indonesian Cabinet
and the coalition of political parties that support
it. In order to overcome the nation’s various
problems, the government must have the courage to
make a breakthrough. The nation’s problems cannot be
resolved by ordinary measures. "There is concern
that the legitimacy of the government has declined,
as has been found in number of surveys", said Janis.
New political party
Sunday was also marked by the declaration by a
number of politicians to form a new political party,
the National Liberation Party of Unity or Papernas.
The party’s aim is to defend the poor who are
currently being confuted by the interests of capital
and those in power, that is neoliberalism. A
preparatory committee for the party was formed on
Sunday July 23 headed by general chairperson
Dominggus Oktavianus Tobu Kiik (the general
chairperson of the Indonesian National Labour Front
of Struggle, FNPBI) and chairperson of the Advisory
Committee Dita Indah Sari (the general chairperson
of the Peoples Democratic Party, PRD). The committee
will work until the Papernas founding congress is
held in November.
Thousands of workers and urban poor crowed into the
National Library for the event that was also
attended by political commentator Wimar Witoelar,
cultural observer Mohamad Sobary and Ray Sahetapy.
(Ant/SUT/DWA)
Workers, farmers and urban poor to form new political party
Detik.com - July 24, 2006
Ken Yunita, Jakarta — Thousands of workers, farmers
and urban poor have started the process of forming a
new political party but launching a preparatory
committee for a national party of liberation.
A number of non-government organisations were
involved in pioneering the formation of the
Preparatory Committee of the National Liberation
Party of Unity (Persiapan Partai Persatuan
Pembebasan Nasional, KP-Papernas). The launch of the
committee took place at the National Library
building on Jl. Selemba Raya in Jakarta on Sunday
July 23.
"Up until now there has yet to be a party that can
unite the ordinary people, the urban poor. This
party will be their vehicle", said KP-Papernas chair
Dominggus Oktavianus Kiik before its membership that
comprises activists from Bali, Central and East Java
and North Sumatra.
The launch of the committee that was enlivened by a
number of speeches with Dominggus saying that the
event represented a pre-party formation. "This is to
prepare a party that will be declared in November",
he added.
Dominggus said that the essence of the party’s
struggle would include the nationalisation of mining
companies, abolishing the foreign debt and
developing the national industry for the welfare of
the people. "Up until now we have remained [under
the leadership of] the lackeys of foreign
countries", he asserted. (wiq)