Jakarta – Rival political parties have said that they are not concerned about reports that their lawmakers in the House of Representatives have struck a deal with the National Democrat Party (Nasdem) and intend to join the party for the 2014 election.
The Democratic Party central board member Ikhsan Modjo claimed that Nasdem was bluffing with such a suggestion. "If they are really serious about it, why don't they name names?" Ikhsan told reporters on Tuesday.
Nasdem Party chairman Rio Pratrice Capella said that 37 active lawmakers were ready to abandon ship and join the Nasdem bandwagon for the 2014 legislative election.
In what appears to be a desperate move to boost the electability of its legislative candidates, the newly established Nasdem said it would give Rp 5 billion (US$530,000) to Rp 10 billion to each of its legislative candidates to finance their political bids in the 2014 election.
The Nasdem is expected to hold a selection process for its legislative candidates soon. During the process, party officials will scrutinize all possible members to be nominated as lawmakers.
After being selected, each candidate will be given money to pay for their campaigns, transportation and campaign supplies. Nasdem, however, will also earmark a separate fund for the party's campaign.
Ikhsan said that no Democratic Party lawmakers had officially tendered their resignations. "I haven't heard any news of Democratic Party politicians intending to join Nasdem," he said, adding that most lawmakers were still loyal to the party.
Contacted separately, Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chief patron Taufiq Kiemas said he would not stand in the way of any PDI-P members who wanted to join Nasdem. "The PDI-P is an open political party, which means that you can go whenever you want," he told reporters.
Taufiq, however, suggested that before joining Nasdem, PDI-P members should complete their terms at the House and then officially resign from the party. "Voters chose them so they must finish their duty first," he said.
Meanwhile, United Development Party (PPP) deputy chairman Lukman Hakim Syaifuddin was confident that no PPP lawmakers would look for opportunities with Nasdem.
"Joining a political party is about realizing the party's mission in the legislature. Also, the integrity of lawmakers should be questioned if they move from one party to another," he said.
Lukman said that if lawmakers were in it only for the money, they were making a big mistake. "We learned our lesson from the previous election that money was not the only aspect," he said.
Political analyst Ari Dwipayana from Gadjah Mada University said that party members joining other political parties could be an indication of problems with political recruitment in the political system.
"Some parties are controlled by a small number of people and they block the entrance of members who want to get seats in the House. So the most reasonable way is to find a new boat that could take them to the finish line," he said.
Ari said that most political parties also tended to select well-known people as legislative candidates and shun those who really strove for the party's benefit. "Such a party tends to recruit people with high electability and drive away quality candidates," he said. (cor)