Yesterday the news media reported about the submission of application for registration of a new political party called S.R.I ( Serikat Rakyat Independen = Independent People Union) with the Ministry of Law and Human Rights.
The party claimed (here) that it already has 33 branches i.e one branch in every 33 provinces of Indonesia, therefore its leaders are confident that it would be eligible to participate in the 2014 general election.
But the most interesting thing about this new party is its plan to nominate Sri Mulyani (48), former Finance Minister currently Managing Director of the World Bank, as a candidate in the 2014 presidential election..
Unfortunately, Sri Mulyani has never confirm about this.
The plan to nominate Sri Mulyani received various response from the public, one of them is human rights activist Hendardi who said (here) that her nomination may be blocked by the Bank Century scandal : the unclear 6,7 Trillion Rupiah Bail Out of a privately owned bank when she was Finance Minister.
Hendardi said that Sri Mulyani can only be nominated as candidate president if the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) clear her name. The problem is that the KPK has not investigate her until now.
I agree with Hendardi's opinion about Sri Mulyani, but I am not sure whether or not the SRI Party will get the approval to participate in the 2014 general election. Even if the party can get said approval, to nominate a presidential candidate it needs to get 20% of the seats in the national parliament, or 25% of the total legitimate votes in the general election (here). Otherwise, it has to form a coalition with other parties.
So, in my opinion Sri Mulyani's political future in Indonesia is still very uncertain.
The case would be different if Sri Mulyani could join forces with big political parties like the ruling Democrat Party, of course her name should be cleared first by the KPK.
Or, perhaps with the Golkar Party but it would be almost impossible because it has been trying hard get her down for the Bank Century scandal.
Showing posts with label Political parties. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Political parties. Show all posts
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Political Parties and Leaders
According to the laws in Indonesia, national and regional elections can only be participated by candidates who are supported by political parties, thus political parties played a dominant role in Indonesian politics.
Considering this fact, political parties can be regarded as the recruiters and incubators of political leaders in Indonesia.
In this regards, I would like to quote an article that I read on The Jakarta Globe below. Happy reading
Indonesia's Parties Fail to Incubate Leaders
John McBeth - Straits Times Indonesia | July 12, 2011
The saddest thing about the implosion of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's scandal-ravaged Democrat Party is the way it has seriously damaged two of its youngest leaders - chairman Anas Urbaningrum and Sports Minister Andi Mallarangeng.
For them, there may be no way back.
Urbaningrum, a 42-year-old East Java political science graduate is unique. In a country where 54 percent of the population is under 30 and new-generation figures are paradoxically in short supply, he is the youngest politician to have headed a major political party.
By crushing Mallarangeng, Yudhoyono's preferred candidate, in a head-to-head vote last year, the party-savvy Urbaningrum offered at least a glimmer of hope that Indonesia's political guard may be changing as the country enters a second decade of democratic rule.
But only a glimmer. Unless someone appears out of the woodwork in the coming year, the field for the 2014 presidential race is likely to be filled by many of the same familiar faces.
Read more ..........
Considering this fact, political parties can be regarded as the recruiters and incubators of political leaders in Indonesia.
In this regards, I would like to quote an article that I read on The Jakarta Globe below. Happy reading
Indonesia's Parties Fail to Incubate Leaders
John McBeth - Straits Times Indonesia | July 12, 2011
The saddest thing about the implosion of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's scandal-ravaged Democrat Party is the way it has seriously damaged two of its youngest leaders - chairman Anas Urbaningrum and Sports Minister Andi Mallarangeng.
For them, there may be no way back.
Urbaningrum, a 42-year-old East Java political science graduate is unique. In a country where 54 percent of the population is under 30 and new-generation figures are paradoxically in short supply, he is the youngest politician to have headed a major political party.
By crushing Mallarangeng, Yudhoyono's preferred candidate, in a head-to-head vote last year, the party-savvy Urbaningrum offered at least a glimmer of hope that Indonesia's political guard may be changing as the country enters a second decade of democratic rule.
But only a glimmer. Unless someone appears out of the woodwork in the coming year, the field for the 2014 presidential race is likely to be filled by many of the same familiar faces.
Read more ..........
Monday, August 1, 2011
The Political Conflict at Puncak Jaya
19 people died and 1 wounded in a conflict between supporters of two rival candidates of a political party who wanted to participate in the regional election at Puncak Jaya, Papua Province on 30 and 31 July 2011.
Antara quoted the Spokesman of the National Police Inspector Anton Bachrul Alam as saying that the conflict was sparked by the change of support given by the Gerindra Party from Simon Alom to the party's regional chief Thomas Tabuni..
29 Policemen , including 18 special troop, were dispatched to the scene of conflict but failed to prevent the escalation of conflict because both sides were using bows and arrows, and throwing stones. One of the Police men was hit by an arrow.
The above conflict shows that the inability of a political party to control its own members has caused the death of many of its members and followers.
The question is : how can a political party rule a region if it cannot even control its own member ?
Antara quoted the Spokesman of the National Police Inspector Anton Bachrul Alam as saying that the conflict was sparked by the change of support given by the Gerindra Party from Simon Alom to the party's regional chief Thomas Tabuni..
29 Policemen , including 18 special troop, were dispatched to the scene of conflict but failed to prevent the escalation of conflict because both sides were using bows and arrows, and throwing stones. One of the Police men was hit by an arrow.
The above conflict shows that the inability of a political party to control its own members has caused the death of many of its members and followers.
The question is : how can a political party rule a region if it cannot even control its own member ?
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Bank Century & Political Parties
Tonight I watched TVRI's talk show: Dialog Aktual discussing about the Bank Century case, featuring Roy Suryo, member of Parliament (DPR) from the Democratic Party, Ganjar Pranowo, member of DPR from the Indonesian Democratic Party in Struggle (PDIP), and Ihsan Mojo, an economic observer from the NGO: INDEF.
The speakers discussed about illegal transfer of money to certain people, DPR's plan to set up a special commission to inquire about the case, who be the chief of said commission, etc., etc.
One interesting thing that I noted was Roy Suryo's revelation that some of the money was allegedly transferred to Murdaya Poo, the recently dismissed Treasurer of PDIP, husband of Hartati Poo, supporter of the governing Democratic Party, who filed a Police report against the NGO Benteng Demokrasi Rakyat (Bendera) who accused her of receiving money from Bank Century.
For details, please click here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
Roy Suryo's above revelation is very interesting, considering that until now the possibility of transfer of money from Bank Century to political parties has always been denied.
The speakers discussed about illegal transfer of money to certain people, DPR's plan to set up a special commission to inquire about the case, who be the chief of said commission, etc., etc.
One interesting thing that I noted was Roy Suryo's revelation that some of the money was allegedly transferred to Murdaya Poo, the recently dismissed Treasurer of PDIP, husband of Hartati Poo, supporter of the governing Democratic Party, who filed a Police report against the NGO Benteng Demokrasi Rakyat (Bendera) who accused her of receiving money from Bank Century.
For details, please click here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
Roy Suryo's above revelation is very interesting, considering that until now the possibility of transfer of money from Bank Century to political parties has always been denied.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Tifatul Sembiring
Politicians are public relation officers for themselves and their political parties. They would maintain this role even after they have been appointed or elected to public offices.One of the politicians in the cabinet of President Susilo Bambang Yudoyono (SBY) who maintain such role is Minister of Communication & Information Tifatul Sembiring .
Tifatul was born in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, on 28 September 1961, he is a Computer Engineer, and before he became a minister, he was the President of Partai Keadilan Sejahtera (PKS).
The media has been reporting lots of things about him, among others that he is an on-line activist, practiced polygamy, doesn’t want to shake hands with women and thinks that the natural disasters in Indonesia were caused by immorality of its people, which sparks protests. In reaction to the protests in Twitter, Tifatul gave a prize: mobile phone to the best protester i.e. who described PKS as Nazi and Tifatul as Joseph Goebbels but was turned down.
For details, please click here, here, here, here and here.
Considering the above, I hope that as Minister of Communication & Information Tifatul Sembiring would give full priority to the best interests of the Indonesian people based on the principle of unity in diversity.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
The Open Election Campaign
On Monday, 16 March, 2,200 members of 38 political parties gathered at Kemayoran Convention Hall, Jakarta, to begin the open campaign for General Election on 9 April, during which party leaders pledged to conduct campaigns peacefully.
In spite of this fact, the General Election Commission (KPU) has still no clear agenda for the open campaign, therefore causing confusion among the political parties.
According to The Jakarta Post, actually KPU has announced last Friday that four political parties may conduct open campaign on the same day. But due to protest from contestants KPU will revise the schedule. For which purpose it will meet political parties on Wednesday to talk about revision of schedule that will allow each party to conduct two open rallies in every province.
Meanwhile, The Jakarta Globe reported that President Susilo Bambang Yudoyono has warned state officials contesting as candidates in the election not to abuse their power during the campaign period.
Further, Kompas reported that during the gathering on Monday, some political parties have involved children. This is a clear violation of the General Election Law No. 10/2008 Article 84 Paragraph 2 that forbids involvement people, who are ineligible to vote during the campaign. Punishment for violations will be up to 12 months imprisonment and fine of up to Rp 60 million.
Although past experience shows that pledge made by political party leaders did not guarantee a peaceful campaign, especially now that the schedule is still unclear, however, I still have high hopes that this time all the parties concerned would avoid any possibility of conflicts among them.
In spite of this fact, the General Election Commission (KPU) has still no clear agenda for the open campaign, therefore causing confusion among the political parties.
According to The Jakarta Post, actually KPU has announced last Friday that four political parties may conduct open campaign on the same day. But due to protest from contestants KPU will revise the schedule. For which purpose it will meet political parties on Wednesday to talk about revision of schedule that will allow each party to conduct two open rallies in every province.
Meanwhile, The Jakarta Globe reported that President Susilo Bambang Yudoyono has warned state officials contesting as candidates in the election not to abuse their power during the campaign period.
Further, Kompas reported that during the gathering on Monday, some political parties have involved children. This is a clear violation of the General Election Law No. 10/2008 Article 84 Paragraph 2 that forbids involvement people, who are ineligible to vote during the campaign. Punishment for violations will be up to 12 months imprisonment and fine of up to Rp 60 million.
Although past experience shows that pledge made by political party leaders did not guarantee a peaceful campaign, especially now that the schedule is still unclear, however, I still have high hopes that this time all the parties concerned would avoid any possibility of conflicts among them.
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