T

he New Indonesia Party of Struggle (PPIB) is the new name for the New Indonesian Party, which in 2004 took no legislative seats at any levels.

The party, established in September 2003, is confident of gaining seats at the provincial and regency legislative councils this year although it is unlikely to gain seats at the House of Representatives.

The party members acknowledge that they have prepared for the stronger showing in the regencies or provinces, by helping a number of regent and governor candidates win executive posts during recent elections in Sumatra, Kalimantan, Bali and Papua.

The party hopes that its success in the regional elections will inspire improvement in its performance at national level in future general elections.

In the 2004 legislative elections, the relatively unknown PPIB won 660,000 or 0.59 percent of votes.

The party was formed by Sjahrir, who started his career as a student activist in 1974 during a series of anti-Japan demonstrations which culminated in the violent Malary Incident. Among the party's prominent co-founders were Sabam Siagian, former Indonesian Ambassador to Australia and member of The Jakarta Post board of directors, and Fikri Jufri, a veteran journalist who has established many well-known newspapers and magazines, including the Post itself.

Sjahrir ran unsuccessfully for president on his party's ticket in 2004 and was later appointed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as his economic advisor.

He died of lung cancer in July 2008. His daughter Nurmala Kartini Sjahrir has led the PPIB since.

Using Pancasila as the party philosophy, the PPIB aims to form a more just and democratic Indonesia.