Jakarta – Senior legislator Permadi has resigned from the House of Representatives and quit his party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), to join the newly formed Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) headed by presidential candidate Maj. Gen. (ret) Prabowo Subianto.
Permadi's decision dealt a serious blow to the PDI-P, which is determined to win the 2009 legislative election after being defeated by the Golkar Party in the 2004 elections.
"I met Prabowo two or three months ago and we discussed several issues. I decided to join his party because we have a similar vision and mission," Permadi told a press briefing Friday.
Permadi said Gerindra viewed the empowerment of the country's fishery and farming sectors, two industries he claimed were long forgotten by the current government, as crucial to developing the nation, an argument firmly believed by the first president of Indonesia, Sukarno.
Prabowo Subianto was the former Army Special Force (Kopassus) chief and son-in-law of the late former president Soeharto.
In 1998 Prabowo was accused of masterminding the kidnapping and disappearance of dozens of the nation's most prolific activists.
An internal investigation by the Army found a team established by Prabowo called "Tim Mawar" (the "Rose Team") was in fact responsible for the kidnapping of activists, some of whom have never been found.
In 2008, Prabowo formed Gerindra and was immediately named its presidential candidate.
Surprisingly, some noted activists and former victims of the Rose Team's terror campaign – including Pius Lustrilanang and Harianto Taslam – joined the party.
Permadi, a member of the commission I overseeing defense and foreign affairs, dismissed allegations of kidnapping against Prabowo, saying they had never been proven.
Permadi, who sent his letter of resignation to PDI-P chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri on Jan 27, said he had no issue with the party chairwoman and daughter of Soekarno.
"There was no conflict between me and Megawati, and I do care for her. But this is my decision," he said, adding he also sent a similar letter to the House Representative speaker, the National Election Commission and the President to inform them of his resignation.
Andreas Pareira, a fellow PDI-P legislator, expressed shock upon hearing the news of Permadi's resignation, saying it was a massive loss for the party and the House.
"We work at the same commission. He is an asset to the party. I know him as a loyal, disciplined and very honest man, rare characteristics here in the House," he said.
Head of the PDI-P faction at the House Tjahjo Kumolo said the party had no problem with Permadi quitting his party and the House but he did not personally understand his motives. Speculation has been circulating that Permadi was disappointed with the party's decision to rank him lowly on the party's legislative candidate list.
Ibramsyah, a political analyst from the University of Indonesia, predicted that Gerindra would become one of the country's major parties, posing a threat to the established parties such as Golkar, PDI-P and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party.
"It is logical that Yudhoyono would worry about this party because many influential retired generals are flocking to support it," Ibramsyah said. (naf)