Ridwan Max Sijabat and Nani Afrida, Banda Aceh – Since the establishment of the GAM Party in 2006, five more local political parties have been set up, although none has registered with the provincial authorities, a prerequisite for achieving formal recognition.

The five parties, all of which plan to contest the 2009 legislative election at the provincial, regency, and municipal levels, are Tha'at and Takwa Besaboh Aceh Generation Party (GABTHAT), Acehnese People's Alliance Party (PARA), United Archipelagic Veranda Party (PSPNS), Darussalam Party and Acehnese People Party (PRA).

Each of the parties says it is in compliance with the requirements of the 2006 Aceh administration law.

The chairman of the legal section of the provincial justice and human rights affairs office, Jailani Muhammad Ali, confirmed the request of five local parties to be registered. But he said his office has yet to follow up because it "lacks technical guidance and finances from the central government".

He indicated that his office planned to verify the requests and allow the parties to become registered.

PRA chairman Rahmat Djailani said the presence of local parties is linked to the victory of independent candidates in past local elections and the Acehnese people's disappointment with national parties, which have failed to made good on pledges.

"There is a political trend that Acehnese people prefer to establish their own political parties to channel their aspirations for provincial, regency and municipal legislatures, and it has also been difficult for locals to control the elected leaders nominated by national parties.

"It will be easier for policymakers from local parties to communicate and coordinate with constituents. The golden era of national parties has ended in the province," he told The Jakarta Post here Wednesday.

PARA chairwoman Zulhafah Luthfi expressed her optimism that her party, dominated by women, would be able to end the dominance of national parties in 2009 through support from Acehnese women.

"This party exists to empower women in politics and to fight for the political interests of women and children in the decision-making process," she said, adding her party has branches in most regencies, subdistricts and villages of the province.

Meanwhile, five brand-new local parties are waiting in the wings, expected to declare their establishment in the near future: Aceh Islamic Aneuk Party, United Dayah Party, United Aceh Local Party, United Aceh Party and Prosperous Aceh Party.

Chapter 75 of the 2006 Aceh administration law stipulates that 50 people (21 years or older) are required to establish a local party, parties are to have branches in an least 75 percent of the regencies and subdistricts and at least 30 percent of party functionaries are to be women.

Chairman of the Independent Election Committee (KIP) Muhammad Djaffar said KIP was waiting for a government regulation further stipulating administrative and legal requirements for local parties wishing to contend legislative elections.

"The government regulation will likely be issued following the endorsement of political bills which are still being deliberated by the House of Representatives and the government," he said, adding that KIP has proposed to the government that local parties be allowed to form coalitions with national parties in contending for the 550 seats in the House.

Nasir Djamil, a legislator of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) from Sigli, and Zaini Djalil, secretary of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle's provincial chapter, commented on the affect of the mushrooming of local parties on the development of true democracy in the province.

They said the local parties would likely affect the performance of national parties in the 2009 general election but their fate would be in the hands of Acehnese people.

"The national parties have qualified human resources and the financial strength to support political networks to win the legislative election in the province," said Nasir.

He said the people would evaluate whether local parties and regional heads and the governor who won the 2008 local elections would be able to channel their political aspirations in the coming two years.

"While things are peaceful at present, livelihoods haven't improved under the new local administrations which are, by and large, former independent candidates," he said.