---------------------------------------------------------- FREE for JOIN Indonesia Daily News Online via EMAIL: go to: http://www.indo-news.com/subscribe.html - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - Please Visit Our Sponsor http://www.indo-news.com/cgi-bin/ads1 ---------------------------------------------------------- Muslim faction wont be effective 'Mega must speak out' Indonesian Observer 23rd July 1999 �Muslim faction won�t be effective� JAKARTA (IO) � A political scientist, Daniel Sparingga, says a plan to form a "reform faction" that would consist of Muslim-based political parties, would not be strong enough to challenge and join in the current presidential candidacies. He added that the creation of a reform faction was only an idea and has not yet been implemented. "It is only superficial. It is imaginary. In fact, we are unable to see that reform faction," Sparingga told reporters, on the sidelines of a discussion titled "The 1998 Students Movements" held by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) in Jakarta yesterday. He was commenting on the plan of some Muslim-based political parties to form a third power, which will outline the true reform agendas to avoid tension among rival supporters of Megawati and Habibie. Leaders of Muslim-based political parties have had a meeting and have agreed to form the reform faction. The reform faction will include the United Development Party (PPP), National Mandate Party (PAN), Crescent and Star Party (PBB), Justice Party (PK), and National Awakening Party (PKB). Sparingga, a lecturer at Surabaya�s Airlangga University (Unair), implied the reform faction would not get enough power to challenge the candidacies of Habibie and Megawati. A PKB leader Alwi Shihab has said his party is unwilling to join in the reform faction. "I think PKB has no willingness to join in. This has been announced by PKB chairman Matori Abdul Djalil, but we will see the progress. Politics is not a matter of black or white," he added. Fellow political scientist Hermawan Sulistyo meanwhile said a statement from PAN chairman Amien Rais on Tuesday that he nominates Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) as a presidential candidate was merely aimed to provoke Megawati into speaking. "It was soft pressure for Megawati to get out and speak. People are waiting for her to speak," he added. He emphasized that Gus Dur has no willingness to take the presidency. "He (Gus Dur) knows well where his best position is," he said. Sulistyo, a lecturer at LIPI, said Megawati will get credit points if she is willing to speak out. He regretted that none of the PDI Perjuangan leaders dare to urge Megawati to speak. "If PDI Perjuangan wants to raise its popularity, Megawati must speak out. PDI Perjuangan leaders must also dare to criticize the internal state of the party," he added. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 23 Jul 1999 jam 09:49:46 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
