Endorsement of PDI candidates protested<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Hundreds of supporters of the overthrown leader
\nof the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) Megawati Soekarnoputri
\ndemonstrated outside the General Election Institute yesterday
\nprotesting the endorsement of a list of legislature candidates
\nsubmitted by government-backed leader Soerjadi.<\/p>\n
"The institute has unlawfully endorsed Soerjadi's list of
\ncandidates," said Roy B.B. Janis who led the demonstration.<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with the institute's
\nofficials, district police and military chiefs, Roy said the
\nlist of legislature candidates drawn up and submitted earlier by
\nSoerjadi to the institute failed to meet the aspirations of
\nmillions of PDI members across the country.<\/p>\n
"We do not recognize Soerjadi as PDI chairman. He represents
\nnobody but himself," he said.<\/p>\n
Roy said the officials would deliver the petition to the
\ninstitute's chairperson.<\/p>\n
Megawati filed a lawsuit against the General Election
\nInstitute and its chairman Moch. Yogie S.M. in October after the
\ninstitute refused to accept her list of legislature candidates
\nfor the May general election.<\/p>\n
The institute rejected her list in September but accepted the
\nlist drawn up by Soerjadi, who toppled her in a government-backed
\nrebel congress in the North Sumatra capital of Medan in June.
\nSoerjadi did not include Megawati or her loyalists in his list of
\ncandidates.<\/p>\n
Under Indonesian electoral law, only candidates nominated by
\nthe three official contestants -- the ruling political
\norganization Golkar, the Moslem-based United Development Party
\nand the PDI -- are allowed to take part in the general election,
\ndue on May 29 this year.<\/p>\n
Megawati's lawsuit is still being heard at the Central Jakarta
\nDistrict Court.<\/p>\n
Arriving in groups in about 100 vehicles, the supporters
\nstaged the demonstration in the central branch of the institute's
\ncar park, while their representatives met with officials.<\/p>\n
"Long live PDI. Long live Megawati," they shouted.<\/p>\n
They also displayed banners and posters condemning Soerjadi
\nfor causing the rift in the PDI.<\/p>\n
When asked why the petition was only issued now, Roy said it
\nwas because they found out about the institute's endorsement of
\nthe list of candidates only recently.<\/p>\n
After the meeting, the delegation and supporters marched to
\nthe Jakarta office of the General Election Institute.<\/p>\n
Here, they failed to meet the officials and were only received
\nby City Hall security guards.<\/p>\n
Another protest was staged by some 1,000 Megawati's supporters
\nin Semarang, who rallied at the Central Java governor's office
\nasking the local administration to reject applications for all
\nSoerjadi's and his supporters' political activities in the
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
They failed to meet the governor or officials of the
\nprovincial legislative council. They were received, instead, by
\nan official at the Central Java office for Social and Political
\nAffairs.<\/p>\n
A protest also took place in the East Java capital of
\nSurabaya, where hundreds of Megawati's loyalists went to the
\nprovincial office of the General Election Committee demanding it
\nremain impartial in handling the internal dispute of PDI. They
\nalso wanted to discuss preparations for the May election.<\/p>\n
The Surabayans failed to meet with the committee's senior
\nofficials and were only able to deliver their petition to
\nofficials on duty. (imn\/har\/25)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/endorsement-of-pdi-candidates-protested-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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