T

he Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI) was established to prevent the disintegration of the nation at the end of 1998 after Soeharto resigned from the presidency amid a prolonged economic crisis.

At that time, a group of former Soeharto regime officials, including former vice president Try Sutrisno and former ministers Sarwono Kusumaatmaja and Siswono Yudhohusodo, broke away from the Golkar Party to form the National Unity and Justice Movement to address the problems of blatant corruption, poverty and injustice hindering the development of the nation.

When the government endorsed the laws establishing a multiparty electoral system in 1998, this movement established itself as the PKPI.

The party mission is to bring justice and unity for the people and to establish good, strong, efficient and clean governance, which will enable Indonesia to compete with other countries and gain respect from the international community.

This party is led by State Minister for Women's Empowerment Meutia Hatta, the eldest daughter of Indonesian founding father Muhammad Hatta.

However, while Halida Hatta, Meutia's younger sister, seems to be channelling their father's concept of the people's economy into Prabowo Subianto's Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), Meutia rarely speaks about Hatta's legacy.

As a result, what people know about the PKPI is that it is a party built by those figures loyal or connected to Soeharto and his New Order era, with Sutrisno as the main figure.

In 1999, PKPI gained 1 percent of votes or 6 seats at the House of Representatives.

In 2004 the party failed to get enough votes to win any House seats.