The PDI-P: An opposition party with a position

Fransiskus Surdiasis ,  Jakarta   |  Tue, 11/03/2009 1:06 PM  |  Opinion

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) practically is the only opposition political party that we have now, along with two smaller parties, the People's Conscience Party (Hanura) and Great Indonesia Party (Gerindra).

To maintain its existence, the party needs to take quick and thorough measures to modernize itself to become a modern organization, because so far the party looks like the private property of its chairperson, Megawati Soekarnoputri.

The PDI-P needs to address two crucial issues: the future of its leadership and formulating its best political stance toward the SBY-Boediono's government.

The party the legacy of Megawati's father, the country's first president. Long before the 2014 election, this period was a pivotal moment for the Sukarno's clan leadership over the party. The current chairwoman, Megawati Soekarnoputri, has lost two presidential elections in 2004 and 2009 against Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Then the issue would be about who will replace Megawati? The debate over this leadership issue would likely fall into two camps: those who favor the party being led by those with Sukarno's bloodline and those who feel the party should be led by others.

For the first camp, The PDI-P still needs a person who can be seen as a personification of its founding father with his principal ideology. The options available are Guruh Soekarnoputra, Puan Maharani (Megawati's daughter), Puti Guntur Soekarno (Guntur's daughter). The list could be widened with Rahmawati Soekarnoputri and Sukmawati Soekarnoputri. But the latter two are not PDI-P members.

The PDI-P won a landslide victory in the 1999, or one year after Soeharto's fall, because Megawati was a perfect symbol of resistance against Soeharto's regime. But as her performance as the country's fifth president from 2001 to 2004 did not satisfy her supporters, the party lost against Golkar Party in 2004. The PDI-P lost again in the 2009 election.

Megawati herself once has shown her preference for her daughter Puan Maharani. Speaking in front of her supporters in East Java, 2008, Megawati introduced Puan Maharani by saying she will be my successor". But Puan should also bring her father's name: Taufik Kiemas.

But for those with more modern outlook, the party's future lies beyond the bounds of family. For the public the issue will be how the PDI-P is ideologically bound to Sukarno without necessarily being led by those who have Sukarno's name.

Other than leadership, the PDI-P's second challenge is how to find the best strategy for leveraging its position as an opposition party. But it seems that the party is reluctant to take such a stance. Except Megawati, other party leaders tended to take the softer approach against the government because they also needed to be closer to the center of power.

Such a difference with Megawati could create internal conflicts in the party.

So the PDI-P is neither in the government nor in the opposition. There are explanations for this dubious stance.

First, without the PDI-P as a clear opposition, there is room for coalition or strategic partnership between the PDI-P and the Democrat Party in the regional level.

Second, the stance is a response to political culture. Being an opposition is not always perceived as something good. As stated by Taufik Kiemas, the PDI-P took a wrong turn five years ago by placing itself as an opposition. This opinion was justified by the 2009 election result, which put the PDI-P in the third place after the Democratic Party and the Golkar Party (the two are coalition partners of SBY's first term in government).

The PDI-P took a role as an opposition but failed to deliberate differences in key policies it advocated. The opposition tended to be a personal matter, a rivalry between Megawati and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Megawati failed to transform her personal opposition into a more institutionalized opposition at the party level.

The right way to serve the PDI-P's best interests is with a clear position, so I suggest the following agendas for the party to better prepare itself as an opposition.

First, by creating a strong policy-based brand or character for the party. The public or voters then could identify the party based on policy direction it advocates. The public will easily identify the party's position on economic matters, tax policy, subsidy policy or bureaucratic reform.

If politics is defined as a market for ideas in managing the country for its best, then by offering alternative ideas, the PDI-P creates its own way to attract voters. There are two ways in which an opposition party has an opportunity to win: the government fails or opposition comes up with more interesting ideas.

Second, build a strategic alliance or partnership between the party and civil society movement. This alliance will boost the party's stance on key issues.

Third, choose a new leader to replace Megawati. He or she should be a new icon for the new face of the party and has all the requirements needed for running as presidential candidate for 2014 election.

Carrying a proper opposition with better internal consolidation and strong relations with its constituents are the keys for the party to achieve a comeback in 2014 election.

The writer is Research and Development staff of The Jakarta Post.

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