Coalition with the new administration is not an option for the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), a discussion has concluded.
Kompas daily senior journalist Budiarto Shambazy told the discussion, held at the Megawati Institute in Jakarta, that it was better for PDI-P to stay in the parliament instead of pursuing for ministerial positions in the new cabinet.
"In today's critical condition, being a member in the parliament is more important than being a minister," Budiarto said on Wednesday.
If the party focuses on its role in the parliament, he said, it could cooperate with others in defining the country's strategic policies.
The party, however, has appeared to edge toward coalescing with reigning Democratic Party, with the latter's endorsement of the candidacy of Taufik Kiemas for the new People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) speaker post. Taufik is the husband of PDI-P's chief patron Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Budiarto said that an opposing party was needed to ensure a kind of check and balance for the new administration.
"I doubt there will be other strong parties that would want to take the opposing role," he added.
He also said that President-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's "middle course" political strategy had yet to be defined, making it open for PDI-P to contribute to the decision as to where the country's economy and political policies may lead.
Lecturer at the Driyarkara Institute of Philosophy Herry Priyono said that PDI-P's "middle course" strategy must be translated into taking the role of an opposition even when it chooses to coalesce.
"There are times when we must criticize the administration," he added.
However, Herry said whether PDI-P was leaning toward coalescing brilliantly or opposing astutely, the party needed regeneration.
He added that PDI-P and many other parties in the country needed to take the trainings of their cadre more seriously.
"Parties take cadre formations for granted; the Golkar party has long lost its cadre training tradition, PDI-P has none, PAN's is not effective.," he said.
Trainings for party cadre, Herry said, were mostly held in the forms of assemblies and seminars.
"In seminars people don't use their brain to make actions," he said, adding that cadre trainings are supposed to form habits so cadre understand what to do and what decision to make when they rule the parties.
Cadre formation is a long process, he said, "but like it or not PDI-P needs to get it running again."
At the discussion Budiarto lamented on the country's current political condition, which he said was dependent to the "centers", namely the ruling elite - the western countries.
"This country has become less and less independent *to the west*, both in terms of politics and economy," he said, adding that it was high time for political parties, especially PDI-P, to do something and start finding solution for the problem. (adh)
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