As of the end of July, the number of political parties registered with the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights for the 2004 general election had reached a staggering 204.

The number of parties far exceeds the figure in 1999, when 149 parties registered for the first election held in the post-New Order era.

Although the parties wanting to contest the next election claim to have opened dozens of branches across the country and boast thousands of members, many believe only a few of them will qualify.

The bill on general elections, which will be discussed by the House of Representatives starting on Thursday, stipulates that a party should have branches in at least two-thirds of the country's 30 provinces and two-thirds of the country's cities/regencies. Each branch should comprise at least 1,000 members.

Only 48 parties were eligible for the 1999 election, and only one-fourth of them managed to win House seats. Of these parties, only those that won at least 2 percent of the vote or 10 House seats will be allowed to contest the next polls.

Like in the past, some of the registered parties used fake addresses and telephone numbers. "It's Pak Bonar's house, not the office of the Young Generation Party," a woman replied when contacted by The Jakarta Post on Monday.

The office of the Islamic Radical Party chaired by Hasan Jawas, which is located in Ciputat according to Ministry of Justice and Human Rights data, apparently belongs to a resident named Ridwan. Hasan is a resident of Lampung.

Legislator Gregorius Seto Haryanto of the Love the Nation Democratic Party (PDKB), which won five House seats in the last election, has registered a new party named the Defenders of Love the Nation Democratic Party (PPDKB).

Legislators Abdul Qadir Djailani and Hartono Mardjono, who have been expelled from the Crescent Star Party, has established the Al-Islam Welfare Indonesia Party (PAS Indonesia) and the Indonesia Islamic Party (PII) respectively.