TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Tommy Suharto, is again in the news after the political party he founded, Berkarya Party, passed the General Elections Commission`s (KPU) evaluation to qualify for participation in the 2019 election. Tommy, who claims to have 500,000 party cadres, aims to land his party in the House of Representatives (DPR), besides wanting his party to be in the election's top three winning parties.
Tommy has answered written questions from Tempo’s Raymundus Rikang, given through the former’s lawyer, Erwin Kallo. Last Friday, Berkaya General Chairman Neneng A. Tuty complemented Tommy’s answers in an interview at Berkarya’s headquarters in Cilandak, South Jakarta. According to Neneng, 54, she was a big screen actress and met Tommy when she was chair of the mass organization Laskar Merah Putih. She has also chaired the Indonesian Professional Boxing Federation.
Read: Cendana Returns Longing for The Suharto Days
What were your hopes for establishing the Berkarya Party?
To contribute to the development of the country through various people-oriented economic programs.
Why did you choose to initiate a political party?
It’s only through a political party that we can effectively channel people’s aspirations to achieve a prosperous, advanced, sovereign, just and flourishing society.
What is your goal for the 2019 General Election?
To make the parliamentary threshold and try to be in the big three winning parties.
How will you go about achieving this goal? Your party is still new.
By gaining people’s support through various programs focused on the people’s economic sector.
Neneng: We’re initiating cooperatives in villages. Mas Tommy also often goes to the regions to engage in dialogue with the people. He does it so often that he knows the price of vegetables, chili… Even I don’t know (these things).
Will you run for president?
Not yet.
Neneng: There are no plans yet, but certainly in the future.
Do you plan to bring back the New Order through Berkarya?
As a system, the New Order can no longer return. Besides, we can’t turn back the clock of history. The important thing is to look to the future with the enthusiasm of the New Order, which we will use as a reference. This way, development will not only be enjoyed by a handful of people.
Neneng: We will make Pak Harto’s aspirations come true. But Berkarya is a modern political party, so the approach needs to be modified so that young people would be interested in supporting us.
Read the full interview in this week's edition of Tempo English Magazine
