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Small parties request scrapping of electoral threshold

Jakarta Post - September 4, 2002

Jakarta – Fifteen political parties, each of which won less than 2 percent of the vote in the 1999 general election, are requesting that the application of the electoral threshold be canceled to allow them to contest the 2004 general election.

"The application of the electoral threshold is unfair and will amount to the suppression of democracy," chairman of the Indonesian Islamic Association Party (PSII), Rahardjo Tjakraningrat, said here as quoted by Antara on Tuesday.

The 15 parties agreed on August 15 to fight for the postponement of the application of the electoral threshold, which states that a party needed to have won 2 percent in the last election to contest the next one.

He said the request that the stipulation be dropped from the bill on elections was based on a sense of justice and the fact that the 15 political parties combined won eight million votes, or 7.8 percent, in the 1999 general election.

Among the 15 political parties are the Justice Party (PK), PSII, Justice and Unity Party (PKP), Believers Nahdlatul Party (PNU), Believers Awakening Party (PKU), Love-the-Nation Democratic Party (PDKB), "Front Marhaen" Indonesian Nationalist Party (PNI Front Marhaen), "Massa Marhaen" PNI, the Indonesian Independence Fighters Association Party (IPKI), People's Sovereignty Party (PDR) and Unity-in-Diversity Party (PBI).

Rahardjo pointed out that the request would be submitted to the House of Representatives, which is deliberating the bill on political parties and the bill on general elections.

The small political parties also intend to lobby the country's six largest parties – the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), the Golkar Party, the United Development Party (PPP), the National Mandate Party (PAN), the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the Crescent Star Party (PBB) – to get backing for their request.

According to Rahardjo, the 15 political parties will organize demonstrations in front of the House if it fails to respond to their request. "Demonstrations will be the last resort," he said.