Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – In order to face the 2009 legislative elections, minority parties unable to secure at least 3 percent of public support in the parliament should not dissolve – they should join a major party or merge to form a new one, legislators said.
Chairman of the special committee deliberating the bill on legislative elections at the House of Representatives Ferry Mursyidan Baldan said the government and his committee were of the same opinion on the issue.
Political parties that lost the 2004 legislative election and failed to secure at least 3 percent of support in the parliament should be given the opportunity to contest the next legislative election. The right to do so is guaranteed by the 1945 Constitution, Ferry said.
"The people's constitutional (right) to organize and to express their opinion must be protected. Parties failing to meet the parliamentary threshold should be allowed to form a new party... (so they can) contest the next legislative election," he said.
Minority parties should choose an existing or new party symbol, before nominating their legislative candidates in accordance with their proportional strength in all electoral districts, Ferry said.
A similar proposal had already been put forward by Vice President and Golkar Party chairman Jusuf Kalla.
Of the all 10 factions in the House, only Golkar, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the National Awakening Party (PKB), the National Mandate Party (PAN), the United Development Party (PPP), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the Democratic Party (PD) are eligible to contend the next election.
The Crescent Star Party (PBB), the Prosperous Peace Party (PDS), the Justice and Unity Party (PKP) and the Democratic Nationhood Party (PDK) would be required to form a new party or join major parties to allow them to contend the election.
Ferry said the new parties were required to meet legal limitations set by Law No. 31/2002 on political parties and the 2003 legislative election law in order to be able to contest the next election.
The 2002 political party law requires new parties to have functionaries and chapters in 50 percent of the country's 33 provinces.
They must also have 50 percent of branches and functionaries in regencies and municipalities within each province to be registered at the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights.
The 2003 legislative election law requires registered parties to have chapters and functionaries in two thirds of the 33 provinces.
They must also have two thirds of branches and functionaries in regencies and municipalities within each province and win political support from at least 1,000 members or one thousandth of the population in regencies and municipalities.