PDI-P Discusses Small Political Parties
Monday, 08 January, 2007 | 14:44 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Denpasar: The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) is blocking new and small political parties from becoming participants in the 2009 general election.

The party is doing this so a maximum of ten political parties contest the general election through an electoral threshold in the revised Political Party Law.

“Certainly this method doesn't dishonor democracy,” said Pramono Anung, Secretary General of PDI-P during PDI-P National Working Meeting I in Bali, yesterday (7/1).

According to Pramono, PDI-P General Chairperson Megawati Soekarniputri conveyed the wish to limit general election participants.

This is based on the experience of two general election in which there were not too many parties based on ideologies: Islam, modern Islam, other religions nationalism and secularism.

The PDI-P has proposed that parties by simplified by increasing the general election participants' electoral threshold from three percent to five percent.

“In principle, if there are 100 parties, go ahead. But the requirements to participate in the general election need to be tightened up,” said Pramono.

Rofiqi Hasan, Made Mustika and Aqida Swamurti