The Establishment Of A Potential Business Entity Influences The Independence Of Political Parties

Illustration (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

JAKARTA A political observer from Universitas Brawijaya, Ikbal Tawakkal asked the government to review the proposal for granting permits for political parties (political parties) to establish business entities that are at risk of making political parties have a business orientation.

"In addition, political party business entities have the potential to make them independent of the government because the business sector is closely related to government policies," he said, Sunday, May 25, 2025.

Previously, the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) proposed that political parties be allowed to form business entities.

This proposal will be one of the government's inputs in the revision of Law Number 2 of 2011 concerning Political Parties (UU Parties) which is currently being worked on in the DPR.

"The current mass organizations can actually establish business entities. Why can't political parties have business entities? After all, the management is different. Only accountability must be maintained," said the Director General of Politics and General Government (Dirjen Polpum) of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Bahtiar when handing over political funds assistance to the Gerindra Party DPP in Jakarta, Wednesday, May 21.

The plan is for the revision of the Political Party Law to be carried out together with a number of other laws in the political law package.

The current regulations prohibit political parties from establishing business entities. Apart from government political assistance, the majority of political parties fund their operations through member fees.

Ikbal assessed that there is no urgency to allow political parties to establish business entities even though they are wrapped in expensive political costs.

He advised political parties to strengthen funding through community donations.

The reason, he continued, is that community donations to political parties are not just a matter of finance, but reflect the relationship between political parties and the solid community.

Parpol with high community donation, can be interpreted as having high support from the community. There are at least some advantages if the funding of political parties is based on community donations. First, strengthening the bond between parties and the dynamic relationship constituent between political parties and the community," he explained.

"Second, donations can also strengthen the financial accountability of political parties. In addition, assistance from the community can also reduce dependence on state finances that have the potential to weaken party independence against the government," concluded Ikbal.