Mustaqim Adamrah and Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Newly formed Hanura Party has warned major political parties against blocking minority parties from contesting the 2009 general elections.

During a meeting with leaders of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, the party urged a review of the political laws to ensure smaller parties had the same opportunity as major parties to grow and take part in elections.

Representing Hanura at the meeting was party chairman Wiranto, a retired Army general, and executive board members former finance minister Fuad Bawazir, former deputy chief of the Indonesian Military Gen. (ret) Fachrul Razi and former legislator Samuel Koto.

Wiranto said major parties at the House should listen to the people's political aspirations in reviewing the political laws, to ensure better national leadership and to help improve the performance of the House and regional legislatures.

"Hanura will comply with the new political laws but major parties should not engage in a political conspiracy to block minority parties from participating in elections. If this happens, it will be dealt with in a traditional manner," Wiranto told journalists after the 90-minute meeting.

Some 28 new political parties, including Hanura, have registered with the Justice and Human Rights Ministry as a first step in making themselves eligible to contest elections in 2009.

Minority parties, including small factions at the House, have called on the legislative body to loosen the political laws to allow their candidates to run in 2009.

Major parties have proposed a tightening of the electoral threshold to 5 percent in 2009 from 3 percent in the 2004 legislative elections, to achieve a simple multiparty system. Parties that fail to meet the electoral threshold are not allowed to contest the next elections.

The major parties also have raised the idea of a 25 percent electoral threshold in legislative elections for parties to nominate candidates for the presidential election, to ensure a national leader with strong political backing.

Political analysts have supported the idea, saying the ideal number of parties in the 2009 legislative elections was eight to 11. They said this would empower the House and ensure a strong system of checks and balances between the executive and legislative bodies.

House Speaker Agung Laksono, accompanied by Priyo Budi Santoso and Yuddhy Chrisnandi, all of the Golkar Party, said the House would consider the suggestions of the Hanura Party.

Asked to comment on the political situation and the current government's performance, Wiranto said Hanura was established in reaction to the people's increasing disappointment with the poor performance of major political parties and the current government.

"The people are disappointed with the government's poor performance because the President and the Vice President have failed in the past two years to live up to the promises of the reform era of 1998 and the 2004 presidential campaign, while major parties have not performed well in representing the people," he said.