Dismal turnouts at PDI rallies<\/p>\n
SURABAYA (JP): Poor turnouts continued to stain the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party's (PDI) campaign yesterday, with a rally here
\nattracting only 18 people.<\/p>\n
To liven up the rally on Jl. Bintoro, organizers persuaded
\nchildren to come along in exchange for free, red T-shirts.<\/p>\n
Sabrot Malioboro and Koesmawati Balukh led the tiny rally,
\nwhere the 80 security guards far outnumbered the participants. It
\nwas the guards' easiest job since campaigning began on April 27.<\/p>\n
\"This is a rally of security officials,\" said Toni, a member
\nof the audience.<\/p>\n
Sabrot focussed on growing unemployment in his speech. Then
\nKoesmawati complained about government officials' alleged ploys
\nto ensure a Golkar victory.<\/p>\n
Other PDI rallies in the city were held on Jl. Tanjungsari,
\nJl. Kalibutuh and Jl. Karangpilang. Less than 50 people attended
\neach venue.<\/p>\n
Of the 37 PDI branches in East Java, only the Malang, Kediri,
\nPasuruan and four other branches held rallies yesterday. The rest
\ncanceled their rallies or had not planned them.<\/p>\n
\"Our itinerary has changed a lot due to the complicated
\nsituation here lately,\" the PDI East Java branch's campaign
\nmanager, Bambang Irianto, said without elaborating.<\/p>\n
Jakarta had a break yesterday from the deafening, sometimes
\nfatal rallies, with only a few small PDI convoys on the streets.<\/p>\n
About 1,000 people joined an indoor rally at Yos Sudarso
\nsports hall in North Jakarta which featured PDI secretary-general
\nButtu Hutapea.<\/p>\n
In his one-hour spirited speech, Buttu accused PDI activists
\nloyal to the party's deposed leader, Megawati Soekarnoputri, of
\ndesertion for supporting an alliance with the Moslem-based United
\nDevelopment Party (PPP).<\/p>\n
\"They are overacting. They want PDI to remain a small party by
\nundermining us,\" Buttu said.<\/p>\n
He said the leadership of the government-sanctioned PDI had
\noffered Megawati supporters a chance to settle the internal
\nconflict after the May 29 election.<\/p>\n
\"Forget the differences for the sake of PDI's victory.
\nEverybody will belittle the party if it loses votes,\" Buttu said.<\/p>\n
In Bogor, West Java, at least 500 Megawati loyalists, in white
\nT-shirts carrying their leader's picture, stole the show with a
\nmotorcade across the town. They undressed about 50 supporters of
\nthe rival PDI faction and forced them to wear white T-shirts.
\nThose who refused were beaten.<\/p>\n
Megawati supporters also rallied in Yogyakarta. After paying
\nhomage Thursday to former sultan, the late Hamengku Buwono IX, at
\nthe Imogiri royal cemetery, they mingled with the crowd yesterday
\nat a rival PDI rally in Ngampilan.<\/p>\n
The PDI did nothing in Bandung yesterday, but PDI campaigner
\nSugeng Saryadi promised that the party's top brass, including
\nchairman Soerjadi, would pound the town on the final day of
\ncampaigning, next Friday. (05\/24\/38\/nur\/ahy\/amd)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/dismal-turnouts-at-pdi-rallies-1447893297",
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