Jakarta – A total of 48 political parties are contesting Indonesia's June 7 elections, the first since the fall of president Suharto whose Golkar party swept all polls under his 32-year rule.

Only a handful – including two of the three parties allowed by the Suharto government – are expected to make a significant showing. Campaigning starts Wednesday.

Golkar Party (Partai Golongan Karya/Golkar)

Officially founded in 1964, a year before the abortive coup blamed on the Communist Party of Indonesia, Golkar became the main political vehicle of Suharto and with the backing of the military and the bureaucracy swept every election since 1971.

Its current sole presidential candidate is incumbent President B.J. Habibie, the 62-year-old German-educated protege of Suharto.

It has four vice-presidential candidates – former state secretary Akbar Tanjung, Military Chief and Defence Minister General Wiranto, the governor of Yogyakarta, Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, and top economics minister Ginanjar Kartasasmita.

Listed as No: 33 on the ballot sheet with the symbol of the banyan tree.

Golkar officials maintain they can win some 30 percent of the vote despite the stain of the Suharto legacy, and are banking heavily on stability and continuity in a time of turbulence.

The party already faces accusations of "mislabelling" social safety net funds as Golkar largesse and of money-politics.

The Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (Partai Demokrasi Indonesia-Perjangan/PDI-Perjuangan)

The original PDI was founded in 1973 as a merger of five parties including the old Indonesian National Party of the country's first president Sukarno and two Christian parties, when the Suharto government whittled the number of political parties to three.

A government-engineered PDI leadership coup in 1996 forced then party leader Megawati Sukarnoputri, Sukarno's daughter, out of the leadersip but strongly boosted her popularity. She then formed the PDI-Struggle.

Megawati, 59, has been one of the most popular political leaders at the grassroots level, but her record of persistence and perseverance in the face of pressure has been often tainted by her slow reactions to developing events.

PDI has basically run on a populist platform and vowed to maintain the unity of the nation under a republic.

Megawati, her party's sole presidential candidate, has objected to Habibie's decision to let go of the former Portuguese colony of East Timor if its people reject autonomy.

The United Development Party (Partai Persatuan Pembangunan/PPP)

PPP was created by a fusion of four Islamic parties in 1973 but the Suharto government, which forced the merger, forced PPP in the 1980s to shed its Islamic principle in favor of the more secular state ideology.

Under the Habibie government, PPP reverted to its Islamic base and changed its logo from the yellow star to the Ka'aba, Islam's holiest shrine in Mecca.

The party is chaired by Hamzah Haz, Habibie's minister of investment until he resigned earlier this month to take part in the electoral campaign.

He has pledged to fight for democracy, including the gradual elimination of the military's non-elected representation in the legislature, at least in the lower house, and to foster an Islamic-oriented life in the country.

The party always came second, trailing far behind Golkar, in the six elections held under Suharto.

Its popularity has risen due to its insistence on scrapping military seats in parliament and naming Suharto as one of the targets of efforts to clean the government of corruption, collusion and nepotism during the November convention of the People's Consultative Assembly.

The National Mandate Party (Partai Amanat Nasional/PAN)

A post-Suharto era party founded in August last year by leading reformists.

PAN is chaired by Amien Rais, a vocal US-educated academic and former chairman of the Muhammadiyah, the country's second largest Moslem organisation.

The party has gained popularity under its chairman who had been in the forefront of reformists during the last months of Suharto's rule.

It is open to non-Moslems and has adherents from the country's various minorities including the ethnic Chinese community, the traditional target of unrest in the Suharto years.

Its platform is based on reform, reduction of the military role in politics and a dialogue to uphold people's sovereignty, justice and progress.

The party caused a stir last year when its leaders said it was prepared to consider a federal republic to keep Indonesia united.

The National Awakening Party (Partai Kebangkitan Nasional/PKB)

The party has the official blessing of the country's largest Islamic group, the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) which boasts some 30 million supporters but which had withdrawn from politics in the mid-1970s.

It was founded by the NU central governing board in July 1998. NU's popular chairman, the moderate and pluralistic Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, has been nominated as the party's presidential candidate.

PKB is chaired by Matori Abdul Jalil, a staunch NU member and former PPP deputy chairman. Although linked to NU, the party is open to non-Moslems.

Crescent and Star Party (Partai Bulan Bintang/PBB)

The party was founded with the support of 43 Islamic organisations to accommodate aspirations for an Islamic party.

The party, chaired by Yusril Ihza Mahendra, a legal expert with the University of Indonesia, draws its main support from the ranks of supporters and members of the Masyumi, an Islamic party disolved in 1960 by Indonesia's founding president Sukarno.

PBB fights for a modern Islam and believes that Islam would provide a solution to all problems and that Moslems, who account for about 90 percent of Indonesia's some 202 million people, should become the "master" of the house.

The party, which has nominated Mahendra, 43, as its presidential candidate, has called on other Islamic political parties to band together and form a united faction in the legislature formed following the June 7 elections.

Justice Party (Partai Keadilan/PK)

Partai Keadilan was set up by a group of Moslem intellectuals in August last year with the aim of building a structured Moslem society through education and dissemination of the faith.

The party, which is not adverse to the imposition of Islamic laws, is chaired by a young American-trained food scientist, Nur Mahmudi Isma'il, 37.

PK has nominated an outsider as its presidential candidate, Didin Hafidhuddin, a lecturer at Ibnu Khaldun University and the Bogor Institute of Agriculture. It is mainly popular among young urban Moslems.

The People's Democratic Party (Partai Rakyat Demokratik/PRD)

PRD was established as a loose organisation gathering pro-democracy student activists in 1996 while Suharto was in power.

The staunchly anti-communist Suharto government banned PRD the following year, accusing it of leftist leanings and its leaders of inciting riots against the government.

It is the only party with a chairman, Budiman Sujatmiko, and secretary general, Petrus Haryanto, who are in jail on charges of undermining the state.

Its aims include establishing a democratic society with people's sovereignty in all fields – politics, economy and culture. It has a wide following among student activists as well as urban intellectuals who admire the tenacity of its leaders.

A list of the 48 parties

[The following is a list of the 48 parties contesting Indonesia's June 7 elections, which will launch their campaigns on Wednesday. All but the three allowed under Suharto – Golkar, PDI and PPP – are either new or revived from old or previously-outlawed or merged parties. Eighteen of them either have their roots in Islamic groups or espouse Islam as their ideology.]

1. Partai Indonesia Baru (New Indonesia Party)

Platform: Religious Nationalism (Moslem but open to others).
Chairman: H.M. Syaiful Anwar
Secretary General: H. Zakirudin Djamin

2. Partai Kristen Nasional Indonesia (Indonesian National Christian Party)

Platform: Open to all, retain military's political role
Chairwoman: CML Sitompul Tambunan
Secretary General: Raden Didiek Sugito

3. Partai Nasional Indonesia (PNI-Supeni) (Indonesian National Party)

Platform: Nationalist. Unitary state, strong legal system.
Chairwoman: Supeni
Secretary General: I.M. Sunarkha

4. Partai Aliansi Democrat Indonesia (Indonesian Democratic Alliance Party)

Platform: Strong links with NGO's, creation of political awareness.
Chairman: Mohammad Bambang Sulistomo
Secretary General: Harry Gnada Asi

5. Partai Kebangkitan Muslim Indonesia (Indonesian Moslem Awakening Party)

Platform: Moslem, more Islamic teaching, Unitary state. Chairman: Syamsahril
Secretary General: Djamhari Maskat

6. Partai Umat Islam (Islamic Community Party)

Platform: Islam, for more Islamic approach, but not Islamic state.
Chairman: Deliar Noer
Secretary General: Fahmi Rahman
Presidential Candidate: Deliar Noer

7. Partai Kebangkitan Ummat (Community Awakening Party)

Platform: Moslem – for more Islamic laws but not Islamic state.
Chairman: Yusuf Hasyim
Secretary General: Asnawi Latief

8. Partai Masyumi Baru (New Masyumi Party)

Platform: Islam. Modernist. People-oriented economics.
Chairman: Ridwan Saidi
Secretary General: Fairuz Basyar

9. Partai Persatuan Pembangunan (United Develpment Party)

Platform: Islam. Pro-reform of armed forces, parliament and the presidency.
Chairman: Hamzah Haz
Secretary General: Alimarwan Hanan

10. Partai Syarikat Islam Indonesia (Syarikat Islam Indonesia Party)

Platform: Harmony between Moslems and others, prevent authoritarian rule, build Islamic unity.
Chairman: Taufik R. Cokroaminoto
Secretary General: Amaruddin Jayasubita
Presidential Candidate: B.J. Habibie

11. Partai Demokrasi Indonesia PDI-Perjuangan (The Indonesian Democratic Party Struggle)

Platform: Retention of unitary state.
Chairwoman: Megawati Sukarnoputri
Secretary General: Alexander Litaay
Presidential Candidate: Megawati Sukarnoputri

12. Partai Abul Yatama (Fathers of Orphans Party)

Platform: Restoration of orphans' rights.
Chairman: Rusli Bintang
Secretary General: Agus Suarman Sudarsa

13. Partai Kebangsaan Merdeka (Independent Nation Party)

Platform: Equal rights for all religions and groups
Chairman: Zaini Ahmad Nuh
Secretary General: Cornelius D. Ronowijoyo

14. Partai Democrasi Kasih Bangsa (Democracy and Love for Nation Party)

Platform: Golkar spinoff, non-sectarian, human rights
Chairman: Manase Malo
Secretary General: Seto Harianto

15. Partai Amanat Nasional (National Mandate Party)

Platform: Federalism, justice, against discrimination, strongly pro-reform.
Chairman: Amien Rais
Secretary General: Faisal Basri
Presidential Candidate: Amien Rais

16. Partai Rakyat Democratik (People's Democratic Party)

Platform: Empowerment of the people.
Chairman: Budiman Sujatmiko (Jailed)
Secretary General: Petrus Haryanto (Jailed)

17. Partai Syarikat Islam Indonesia 1905 (Syarikat Islam Indonesia 1905)

Platform: Extend Islam to every facet of life.
Chairman: Ohan Sujana
Secretary General: Paka Chairi

18. Partai Katolik Demokrat (Democratic Catholic Party)

Platform: Restore Catholic rights, open to all.
Chairman: Marcus Mali
Secretary General: Nirwan Sembiring

19. Partai Pilihan Rakyat (People's Choice Party)

Platform: Sovereignty of the people.
Chairman: R.O. Tambunan
Secretary General: Fachruddin Hasan

20. Partai Rakyat Indonesia (Indonesian People's Party)

Platform: Indonesia's first green party. Social justice, equity
Chairman: Agus Miftach
Secretary GenEral: Michele Purwanto

21. Partai Politik Islam Indonesia Masyumi (Masyumi Indonesian Islamic Political Party)

Platform: Moslem. Pre-eminence of Islam, Shariah law
Chairman: Abdullah Hehamuhua
Secretary General: Sayuti Rahawarin

22. Partai Bulan Bintang (Crescent and Star Party)

Platform: Roots in Moslem Masyumi party. Strengthen legal system, smaller provinces.
Chairman: Yusril Ihza mahendra
Secretary General: M.S. Ka'ban

23. Partai Solidaritas Pekerja (Worker's Solidarity Party)

Platform: Workers' welfare
Chairman: Dedi Hamid
Secretary General: Parjaman
Presidential Candidate: General Wiranto

24. Partai Keadilan (Justice Party)

Platform: Moslem. Clean government, strong legal system.
Chairman: Nur Mahmudi Isma'il
Secretary General: Suswono
Presidential Candidate: Didin Hafidhuddin

25. Partai Nahdlatul Ummat NU (Nahdlatul Ummat Party)

Platform: From Nahdlatul Ulama scholars. Sunni teachings.
Chairman: Syukron Makmun
Secretary General: Achmad Syatari

26. Partai Nasional Indonesia – Front Marhaenis (Indonesian National Party – Marhaenis Front)

Platform: Golkar spinoff, people's self-sufficiency
Chairman: Probosutejo (Suharto's half-brother)
Secretary General: Bambang Suroso

27. Partai Pendukung Kemerdekaan Indonesia (Indonesian Independence Supporting Party)

Platform: Military origins, for retaining military's political role.
Chairman: R. Suprapto
Secretary General: Rusli Dahlan

28. Partai Republik (Republican Party)

Platform: Reform through strong government, social services.
Chairman: Syarifuddin Harahap
Secretary General: Yani Wahid

29. Partai Islam Demokrat (Islamic Democratic Party)

Platform: Islamic. Changes in marriage and religious laws.
Chairman: Andi Rasyid Jalil
Secretary General: Imam Dipowinoto

30. Partai National Indonesia-Massa Marhaen (Indonesian National Party-Marhaen Mass)

Platform: People's economy, reform, uplift lower classes.
Chairman: Bachtar Oscha Chalik
Secretary General: Franciscus Xaverius Sumitro

31. Partai Musyawarah Rakyat Banyak (Popular Consultation Party)

Platform: PDI spinoff, strong cooperatives (Pro-Megawati)
Chairman: Hadijoyo Nitimiharjo
Secretary General: Zulfikar Kamaruddin

32. Partai Demokrasi Indonesia (Indonesian Democratic Party)

Platform: Rump of Megawati's party. Unitary state.
Chairman: Budi Harjono
Secretary General: Buttu Hutapea

33. Partai Golkar (Golkar Party)

Platform: Improvement of standard of living.
Chairman: Akbar Tanjung
Secretary General: Tuswandi
Presidential Candidate: B.J Habibie

34. Partai Persatuan (Unity Party)

Platform: A PPP breakway - unitary state, social prosperity
Chairman: Jailani Naro
Secretary General: Mardiansyah

35. Partai Kebangkitan Bangsa (National Awakening Party)

Platform: Basis in Moslem Nahdlatul Ulama, but open to all.
Chairman: Matori Abdul Jalil
Secretary General: Abdul Muhaimin Iskandar
Presidential Candidate: Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid

36. Partai Uni Demokrasi Indonesia (Indonesian United Democratic Party)

Platform: Reform – direct elections, federalism, the return of the army to barracks.
Chairman: Sri Bintang Pamungkas (released political prisoner)
Secretary General: Husni Akbar Lubis

37. Partai Buruh Nasional (National Labor Party)

Platform: Close union links, worker's welfare.
Chairman: Tohap Simanungkalit
Secretary General: Robikin Emhas

38. Partai Musywarah Kekeluargaan Gotong Royong Indonesia (Familial Mutual Help Party)

Platform: A Golkar spinoff championing marginal groups.
Chairman: Mien Sugandhi
Secretary General: Kristiya Kartika

39. Partai Daulat Rakyat (People's Sovereignty Party)

Platform: Promoting a people's economy. (Rumored links to Cooperatives Minister Adi Sasono)
Chairman: Abdul Latief Burhan
Secretary General: Mohammad Jumhur Hidayat

40. Partai Cinta Damai (Peace-Loving Party)

Platform: Moslem, devoted to humanitarian needs.
Chairman: Iskandar Zulkarnain
Secretary General: Syahril Malik

41. Partai Keadilan dan Persatuan (Justice and Unity Party)

Platform: A new Golkar spinoff, reformist.
Chairman: (Retired General) Edi Sudrajat
Secretary General: Hayono Isman

42. Partai Solidaritas Pekerja Seluruh Indonesia (All-Indonesia Workers Solidarity Party)

Platform: Workers' welfare, wants a military draft.
Chairman: Rasyidi
Secretary General: Rahmat Ismail

43. Partai Nasional Bangsa Indonesia (National Party of Indonesians)

Platform: Economic self reliance, political education.
Chairman: Endro
Secretary General: Erstien Sri Rahayningsih

44. Partai Bhineka Tunggal Ika Indonesia (Indonesian Unity in Diversity Party)

Platform: Equal rights for all regardless of religion and race.
Chairman: Nurdin Purnomo
Secretary General: Harider Singh

45. Partai Solidaritas Uni Nasional Indonesia (Indonesian United National Solidarity Party)

Platform: Socio-economic Justice, stress on cooperatives. Moslem roots, a splinter of Nahdlatul Ulama
Chairman: Abu Hasan
Secretary General: Ali Fahmi

46. Partai Nasional Demokrat (Democratic Nationalist Party)

Platform: Nationalist, supports unitary state.
Chairman: Edwin Henawan Sukowati
Secretary General: Eddy Syafuan

47. Partai Umat Muslimin Indonesia (Indonesian Moslems Party)

Platform: Strongly Islamic but open to other religions.
Chairman: Anwar Yunus
Secretary General: Abdillah Muhammad

48. Partai Pekerja Indonesia (Indonesian Workers Party)

Platform: Empowerment of workers.
Chairman: Saleh Said Harahap
Secretary General: Salam Sumangat