MUSLIMS NEED COALITION OF ISLAMIC PARTIES

By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, April 23 (Antara) - The Islamic political parties, which collectively won about 32 percent of the votes in the April 9 legislative elections based on unofficial quick counts, need to form a coalition to serve Muslims' interest.          "A coalition of Islamic parties is needed to serve the interest of the Muslim community and the people as a whole," Abdul Ghaffar, chairman of the Human Research and Development Center of the Yogyakarta branch of the country's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), said on Monday.          He said the formation of a coalition by Islamic parties was needed as long as it was aimed at serving the interest of the Muslim community, not for a certain group only. Therefore, as they had a relatively large number of votes, namely about 32 percent, Islamic parties need to form their own alliance.          Based on unofficial quick counts, the three top positions in the recent legislative elections were secured by nationalist parties with a combined voter turnout of about 45 percent. However, these nationalist parties, respectively, had their own presidential candidates. Thus, it was impossible for them to coalesce with each other.          Yet, they had presidential candidates with a relatively high electability. The first winner of the legislative election, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), for example, had nominated popular Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo, better known as Jokowi.

IDEA TO FORM GREATER INDONESIA COALITION BEING QUESTIONED

 By Andi Abdussalam

          Jakarta, April 21 (Antara) - The idea to bring Islamic political parties to join as a major nationalist counterpart in a "Greater Indonesia coalition" is being questioned whether it can be realized.
         Not all the Islamic parties had the same attitude regarding the idea, which was raised by the National Mandate Party (PAN) Advisory Council's Chairman Amien Rais in Jakarta last Thursday.
         Some suspected that the idea was raised in an effort to bring PAN General Chairman Hatta Rajasa to pair as a running mate with Prabowo Subianto, the presidential candidate of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra).
         The Gerindra is a nationalist party, which won the third place (about 11.80 percent of the votes) based on unofficial quick counts on the results of the April 9 legislative election.
         Based on the unofficial quick counts, two nationalist parties, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) won the first place with 18.90 percent of the votes and the Golkar Party secured the second place winning 14.30 percent.
         Like the Gerindra, the two first and second winners of the legislative elections had also announced their own presidential candidates, the PDIP with Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi and the Golkar with its general chairman Aburizal Bakrie (ARB). Yet, these three contestants needed to form a coalition before they can nominate their candidates.

PKS AWAITING WORDS FROM PRESIDENT OVER COALITION

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 20 (Antara) - The fact that the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) was not invited in a meeting of parties in government coalition on Tuesday last week indicated that PKS had been sidelined from the coalition.          Yet, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in his capacity as the chairman of the Joint Secretariat of Parties in Coalition (Setgab) so far has not yet made any statement with regard to the membership status of PKS in the coalition.          PKS Deputy Secretary General Fahri Hamzah said his party was waiting for the President's decision with regard to the news that PKS had been excluded from the coalition.          "We leave the PKS status to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to decide," Fahri said during the launch of O.C. Kaligis autobiography book on Wednesday.          Secretary of the coalition's joint secretariat Syarif Hasan, who is also cooperatives and small enterprise minister, has earlier said that PKS had been excluded from the coalition.          On Wednesday last week, Fahri said the Palace had told one of PKS's ministers that PKS had been pulled out of the coalition. "Yes, we have been told that PKS has been excluded from the coalition," Fahri said.

CONTROVERSY SWIRLS OVER WHETHER PKS WILL REMAIN IN GOVERNMENT

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, April 7 (ANTARA) - There was a strong sense that the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) would quit or be ousted from the ruling government coalition immediately after it opposed the coalition's policy to increase subsidized fuel oil prices last week.          Secretary of the Joint Secretariat of the Coalition Parties, Syarif Hasan, said the PKS's decision to oppose the coalition's policy violated its contract with the coalition. Opposition to the fuel oil policy could cause the termination of its membership in the coalition.         Following the coalition secretary's remarks, a PKS minister, Salim Segaf Al-Jufri, responded with a statement that PKS intended to quit the coalition.          The polemics surfaced following a parliamentary plenary session in which the PKS explicitly opposed the coalition's policy.          The government, after a House of Representatives (DPR)'s plenary session on Friday last week, cancelled its plan to raise subsidized fuel oil prices. The DPR held a plenary session to consider its proposal to raise fuel oil prices on April 1, 2012.          The House voted to give the government the authority to make price adjustments or price increases if the Indonesian Crude Price (ICP) increased or fell by 15 percent during a six month period.          Even though the government has canceled its planned increase, talk on whether PKS could remain in the coalition has reached the public spotlight.          Syarif Hasan said the PKS's decision to oppose the coalition's policy regarding subsidized fuel oil violated its contract with the coalition. The PKS's opposition to the policy could cause the termination of its coalition membership.          The same view was also expressed by Chairman of the United Development Party Suryadharma Ali, who said the agreement signed with the coalition was binding, thus no coalition member should oppose the alliance's policy.          Further, Chairman of the Nation's Awakening Party (PKB) Muhaimin Iskandar supports the idea of punishing the PKS. "We hope the coalition chairman (President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono) would take firm action," Muhaimin Iskandar said.          He suggested that strong sanctions should be taken against a coalition member that announced an opposing stand. "PKB will support any punishment given to a member that weakens the alliance's solidity," he noted.          He added that PKB was of the view that the coalition should be unified and of one voice, and no member should be allowed to "stab" from behind.          Also, Presidential Spokesman Julian A Pasha said the decision on whether PKS remained in the coalition would be announced officially. "An official statement regarding the presence of PKS in the alliance will be made later. Up until now, I am still not able to comment on its position in the coalition," Julian said on Wednesday.          Regarding the presence of PKS ministers in the cabinet, Julian said it was President Yudhoyono's prerogative to appoint or discharge a minister. "So, I think we all know that it is the president who will decide whether or not he will revamp his cabinet," Julian added.          In the meantime, PKS seems prepared for any decision taken by the government coalition.          According to Social Affairs Minister Salim Segaf Al-Jufri, the PKS plans to quit the government coalition. "It intends to quit, but I think it is still under discussion," the minister asserted.          He added that PKS members would permit the 'Majlis Syuro' (its highest law-making body) to decide whether to remain in the coalition. So far, he has not received any signal or summons from the president regarding the position of PKS.          Further, PKS Deputy Secretary General Mahfudz Siddiq said his party was waiting for the official statement of the president regarding the presence of his party in the alliance. "PKS will feel relieved after the president has made a decision," he said.          The government coalition, which is composed of the ruling Democrat Party (PD), the Golkar Party, PKS, the National Mandate Party (PAN), the United Development Party (PPP) and the Nation's Awakening Party (PKB), accounted for about 75.35 percent, or 422 seats, of the total 560 seats in the parliament.          Further, almost 25 percent of the seats in the House are controlled by parties outside the coalition, including the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle/PDIP, Great Indonesia Movement/Gerindra and the People's Conscience Party/Hanura.          With the PKS contributing nearly 14 percent of the coalition's seats in the DPR,  its breakaway would increase the strength of parties outside the government to about 39 percent of the parliament.          So if PKS pulls out from the coalition, the political alliance would be weakened when compared to the strength of those parties outside the government.          Political analyst Fadjroel Rachman said he believed the president would not have the courage to oust PKS from his coalition. "I think, even if the coalition has controlled almost 75 percent of the House, its policy could still be shaken, let alone if it loses one party member," Fadjroel said on Friday.          He pointed out several cases, such as the Bank Century bailout case, the tax mafia and the latest debate over the fuel oil price hikes, which shook the Yudhoyono government.          "If PKS is ousted or if it pulls out from the government coalition, the support of the Yudhoyono government in the House would be reduced to only about 50 percent," he said.          President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, according to Fadjroel, will not let this happen because it will endanger the stability of his government.         Presidential Spokesman on Information, Heru Lelono, has said President  Yudhoyono is focusing more on development programs and the public's welfare, rather than on the PKS controversy. He was responding to accusations that President Yudhoyono's attention had been absorbed by coalition problems, rather than government business or the public's welfare.         "These past few days, even right after the House of Representatives passed the 2012 revised budget bill last Saturday, SBY (President Yudhoyono) has been busy holding cabinet meetings," he said.***1*** (T.A014/A/KR-BSR/F001) 07-04-2012 14:15:

RIFT DEVELOPING AMONG GOVT COALITION PARTIES ?

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 23 (ANTARA) - The 2014 presidential race  is still about three years away , yet the political parties in the government coalition have begun making certain  maneuvers with the smaller ones accusing their two major  partners - the ruling Democrat Party (PD) and the Golkar Party -  of capitalizing  on their dominant position  at the expense of their juniors.          It was reported that the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) had asked the other smaller partners in the coalition - the National Mandate Party (PAN), the United Development Party (PPP) and the National Awakening Party (PKB) - to form an axis to countervail the dominance of the PD and Golkar.          The PKS  said the smaller parties in the coalition would feel the impact of the PD-Golkar dominance, especially  in the face of the 2014 general elections.         However, PD Chairman Anas Urbaningrum denied there was an  internal rift among political parties in the Joint Secretariat of the Government Coalition (Setgab).          "I don't think there are frictions within the coalition," Anas Urbaningrum said after speaking at a year-end discussion on recruitment of political party members, law enforcement and corruption eradication here on Thursday.          The PD  chairman said the initial purpose of the  joint secretariat was to form a permanent coalition.  "This is our common commitment agreed upon by the Setgab," Anas said.          The deputy secretary general of PKS, Mahfudz Siddiq, had earlier said that the smaller parties in the government coalition would feel the impact of the maneuvers and the interests of the PD and Golkar in the face of the general elections in 2014.          "The axis parties in the coalition will be hammed in between the maneuvers of the Democrat Party and Golkar which would themselves tightly compete in the 2014 elections capitalizing on the joint secretariat," Mahfudz said.          He predicted that in 2014, the Democrat Party and Golkar would nominate their respective presidential candidates. They will use and take the advantage of the secretariat in the remaining three years to consolidate and mobilize their human resources.          Mahfudz saw the dynamism in the joint secretariat as being funny. PD and Golkar which underwent a political 'marriage' often experienced political conflict and often 'held hostage' with each other, yet they often collaborate on behalf of the joint secretariat.         PKS is of the view that Golkar's and PD's domination within the joint secretariat had weakened the function of the Setgab itself.          In response to this, Anas Urabaningrum only said what was needed to be built within the Setgab was to increase communications among the political parties in the government coalition. "Information about the ministerial cabinet meeting should also be received by all political parties in the Setgab," Anas said.          Yet, PKS --which put forward the idea of forming an axis force among PKS, PAN, PPP and PKB to face the PD and Golkar-- even  created a discourse that the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) would be asked to join the axis force, particularly in nominating a presidential candidate in the 2014 presidential elections.          Secretary General of PDIP Tjahjo Kumolo said meanwhile that a member of the government coalition which intended to have a strategic talk with PDIP in the face of the 2014 general elections must first break away from the government's coalition.          "In principle, we are ready to have a dialog on the 2014 elections with a political party which has a minister in the government cabinet but it has to leave the cabinet in the first place,"  Tjahjo said.          He said that political parties which wanted to have a deal with the PDIP on the 2014 elections should not play a game in two places. "Don't play in two places. It should not happen that one leg is in the government while the other one is with us," he said.          The PKS move to establish an axis force is jut another indication of the fragility of the Setgab in the face of the political developments in the country.          Last June, Golkar even once threatened to break away from the Setgab when one of its proposals was rejected by coalition partners.          Golkar tabled a pork barrel fund, where each House member would be given control over Rp15 billion in funds from the state budget to implement development projects considered urgent in the electoral region he or she is representing. On the whole, it would mean an additional state expenditure of Rp8,4 trillion per year.          The proposal, which was called aspiration funds, was rejected.  "Representatives of parties in coalition have discussed the aspiration funds for members of the House of Representatives (DPR) at the Setgab. But why it is rejected. All have to share common responsibility," Yamin Tawari, associate chairman of the Golkar's Executive Board, said.          Yamin Tawari, was reported to have said that Golkar felt abandoned by the other parties in the coalition with regard to its proposal for the allocation of "aspiration" (pork barrel) funds for legislators, and therefore it was no longer necessary for the party to remain in the coalition.          However, Golkar vice general chairman Theo Smabuaga was quick to deny the party wished to leave the joint secretariat. "On the contrary, we want to stay in the coalition's joint secretariat to intensify discussions on strategic and fundamental issues affecting the country and the people," he said.          Theo said Golkar, the second biggest party after the ruling Democrat Party, had no intention at all of quitting the coalition of parties supporting the government.           He said it was not impossible for coalition members to have differences of view. "It is a normal thing in a democracy. But differences do not need to be blown up. We will continue building unity to support the implementation of various strategic programs," he said.     (T.A014/A/HAJM/19:50/H-YH) 23-12-2010 20:13

GOLKAR THREATENS TO QUIT COALITION'S SECRETARIAT

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 10 (ANTARA) - Disappointed by House of Representatives (DPR) members who turned down its pork barrel proposal, the Golkar party is threatening to quit the government's joint coalition secretariat (Setgab).           "If we cannot stay together, if we don't have the same views anymore, what is the use for us to stay in the Setgab," Yamin Tawari, associate chairman of Golkar's Executive Board, said on Wednesday in response to the DPR leadership decision to shelve a Golkar proposal on 'aspiration funds.'       The Golkar has tabled an aspiration funds proposal, where each House member would be given control over Rp15 billion in funds from the state budget to implement development projects considered urgent in the electoral region he or she is representing.On the whole, it would mean an additional state expenditure of Rp8,4 trillion per year.          However, the House of Representatives leadership has decided to shelve the Golkar Party faction's proposal.          The decision was taken at a House leadership meeting on Monday (June 7) after consultations with the finance minister, National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) chief, deputy finance minister and the chairman of the House's Budgetary Affairs Body.          With the decision, Golkar is considering breaking away from the government's joint coalition secretariat (Setgab) if political parties in coalition fail to find common views on its aspiration funds proposal.          "Representatives of parties in coalition have discussed the aspiration funds for members of the House of Representatives  at the Setgab. All have to share common responsibility," Yamin Tawari said Wednesday night.          He said that at a meeting at the Sekgab none of the coalition members had refused the proposal but later their members at the House said they rejected it. While, in fact, the aspiration funds proposal had not yet been discussed formally, yet the DPR members and factions rejected it.          "The DPR, the House Budgetary Body in particular, should have officially deliberated the matter first. At this forum, factions could forward their arguments. So, if they reject or accept it they would have clear grounds," Yamin said.          However, lawmakers of the political parties in coalition had said to the media that they had turned down the proposal, even if it had not yet been officially deliberated by the House.          In this case, Golkar felt it was being left behind by other coalition members. "If we cannot stay together and have no more similar views, what is the use for as to stay in the Setgab," Yamin Tawari said.          He said that he had made the statement not because Golkar was angry or was threatening to quit the secretariat but because it wanted that the coalition members would be consistent with their proposals.           According to House Vice Speaker Promono Anung, the House leadership meeting had discussed the various aspects of the proposal and in the process had questioned the way in which the figure Rp15 billion was arrived at, and how the funds would be channeled and spent. "Since there was no clarity on these points, we rejected the proposal," he said.          If the proposal was approved, it would only create opportunities for the misuse of the funds in the regions, Pramono said.      The more so, he added, because even now many regions were still unable to absorb allocated budget funds properly due to the absence of a transparent and accountable spending mechanism.          "In our view, the proposed aspiration funds may be easily misappropriated by the legislators concerned, or spent to serve their own personal or political interests," he said.          Therefore, although the Golkar Party faction's proposal had already been programmed for further discussion in the House, "the House leadership still has the discretionary power to shelve it," said Pramono, a member  of the Indonesian Democracy Party-Struggle (PDI-P).          "I am sure the aspiration funds proposal has no chance to be approved, and we in the House leadership are of one mind on this matter," he said.          Previously, other Golkar Party associate chairman Priyo Budi Santoso said the Golkar Party would not push its "aspiration"  funds proposal if  all other parties in parliament rejected the idea but instead called for an alternative scheme called "stimulus funds".          "If none of the other party factions in the House supports the aspiration funds proposal, we will move for the allocation of rural development stimulus funds of Rp1 billion per village," he said.           If the proposal to give each House member Rp15 billion in aspiration funds was not approved, Golkar would ask for the provision of special funds to spur rural development at a rate of Rp1 billion for every village in the country, he said.          Priyo denied that the aspiration funds idea was evolved by Golkar alone, saying other parties had once also favored it. "It is quite ironic that people are now saying it is only Golkar that wants it." he said. (T.A014/A/H-NG/a014) 10-06-2010 11:25:

OPPOSITION PDIP TO JOIN RULING PD COALITION ?

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, March 24 (ANTARA) - The discourse on the possibility of a coalition between the ruling Democrat Party (PD) and its most bitter rival so far, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), is raising an important question, namely what cabinet portfolio is going to be offered to the latter.          While aspirations within the PDIP itself over the discourse are still divided, including PDIP leader Megawati Soekarnoputri who is opposed to it, the PD's gesture can basically be construed as its   readiness to reserve a ministerial post for the PDIP.          After all, the PD might have been  disillusioned with some of the  political parties with which it is officially allied after they  did not follow its political line with regard to the  Bank Century bailout scandal.          Its experience with these 'renegade' coalition partners has now led the PD to want to evaluate its coalition with them.          In a national coordination meeting next month, the PD is to evaluate its coalition with a number of other parties, including the idea of an alliance with the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDIP).          Djafar Hafsah, a PD associate chairman, said on Tuesday various things would be discussed at the meeting ahead of a party congress to be held in Bandung in May. "The coordination meeting will also evaluate the coalition, including a discourse of including PDIP in the coalition," he said.          The idea of coalescing with PDIP is actually not new or had not arisen after the three coalition members namely Golkar Party, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the United Development Party (PPP) took a stance against the Democrat Party in the  Bank Century case.          It has been put forward since the chief patron of the Democrat Party, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, was elected president in July 2009. "At the time, the Democrat Party several times made an offer to PDIP to coalesce with the party but no agreement was reached," Djafar Hafsah said.          The idea to include the PDIP in the ruling coalition was also raised by PD vice chairman Ahmad Mubarok, who described it as a big idea about a coalition among the three nationalist parties, namely PDIP, the Democrat Party and the Golkar Party to face political competition in 2014.          "This means a match because the idea has been there for a long time and was once discussed with Tjahjo Kumolo(PDIP faction leader in parliament). If the three parties coalesce and the coalition is solid it can become a political anchor because all religious-oriented parties are declining," he said.         "It could be seen like that (the chance to join the coalition is bigger) but I think PDIP is also thinking about long-term goals," Mubarokb said.          Earlier, PDIP has indicated its intention to shift its political position. PDIP secretary general Pramono Anung said that his party would no longer position itself as an opposition party but a balancing force which is pro-people.          The discourse on the coalition with the PD originated from PDIP chief patron Taufik Kiemas who has since sometime ago voiced the idea to coalesce with the ruling party. However the idea is not supported by PDIP  Chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri who is also Kiemas's wife. Megawati preferred PDIP serving as a balancing party or opposition that watches over  the government.          Moreover, if PDIP joins the ruling coalition, it was feared it would lose its grass-root supporters. According to a political observer, public support for the PDIP will weaken continuously and reach rock bottom in the 2014 general elections if it coalesces with the PD.          "It will really happen if the PDIP joins the PD-led coalition that supports the SBY-Boediono government," political observer Sukardi Rinakit said. Rinakit made the remark to comment on PDIP Secretary General Pramono Anung's statement about the possibility of his party coalescing with the Democrat Party.          "If it happens, I predict that public support for the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle will surely weaken. It would then even lose its most loyal supporters," Sukardi Rinakit added.          Hanny Senewe, a senior observer of the Center for Indonesian National Policy Studies (CINAPS), concurred with Rinakit. The main axis  supporting the PDIP, namely those with a Marhaenist ideology would surely feel offended if the party ceases to function as an opposition.          "This is because they have so far been in the forefront with various other elements of the public in opposing  what they call  Neo-colonialist imperialism (Nekolim) which is now also  known as Neoliberalism (Neolib) whose stooges in the government, legislative, and business circles continue to build their capitalist network in the country," she said.          In this respect, PDIP Regional Executive Board for Yoyakarta decided to maintain the idea that PDIP should maintain its opposition stance.          "In our regional working meeting that was held since Friday last week we decided to maintain the stance that PDIP should remain an opposition. The opposition stance we mean here is a constructive one," PDIP chairman for Yogyakarta branch Idham Samawi said.          In order to take a stance regarding the coalition discourse, the PDIP will discuss it in its Congress scheduled for next month. The congress will be attended by all regional executive boards throughout the country.          According to PDIP chairman for West Java branch, Rudi Harsa, the April congress will discuss two options the results of which are expected to make PDIP a party which always defends the people's interest.          "We should not think black and white where opposition or coalition is the most correct choice. What is important is that we live up to our reputation as 'the small people's party'", he said.      (T.A014/A/HAJM/17:05/a014) (T.A014/A/A014/A/A014) 24-03-2010 17:23