Indonesia Needs New Political Party

Denpasar (Antara Bali) - Former presidential spokesman Wimar Witoelar said a new political party is needed in Indonesia.

Witoelar said here on Monday that "present political parties are now only representing a cartel, which is a cooperation of groups to distribute power and money."

He made the statement after speaking at a discussion on "Germany 1989, Indonesia 1998, Two Countries, Two Revolutions," at Udayana University.

He said because present political parties are still representatives of cartels, while the system used is oligarchic, there is no room for political reform to occur.

"As long as no opportunity is available for a new political party to come, old political parties will remain unwilling to reform themselves, while the fact is that the present political parties only protect capital owners. We all know it, but none will speak out about it," he said.

Wimar also said business groups have entered deeper into political groupings, making common citizens appear to have no party.

"Unfortunately, the opportunity to set up a new party has been closed by the government through its legalistic approach that prevents new political parties from receiving a legal status," he said.(IGT)