Golkar pledges orderly campaigns<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Golkar, which the government has reprimanded for
\nrowdy convoys, pledged yesterday to win public sympathy by
\ncampaigning orderly.<\/p>\n
Golkar Chairman Harmoko said Golkar, which has been in power
\nsince 1971, would depend on indoor rallies with limited audiences
\nrather than massive street rallies.<\/p>\n
"Discussions in indoor rallies allow Golkar to communicate its
\nprograms that aim to improve people's welfare," Harmoko told a
\npress conference at the party's headquarters.<\/p>\n
Golkar, the United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI) were reprimanded by the Election
\nSupervision Committee chief, Singgih, Monday for breaching rules
\nin the first week of campaigning.<\/p>\n
Singgih said the most common violations, which all three
\nparties had committed, were street convoys and the removal of
\nrival party flags.<\/p>\n
Harmoko, the information minister who has firm control on
\nlocal media, said: "Golkar has observed that the public prefers
\norderly indoor discussions to street shows of force."<\/p>\n
Despite the Election Supervision Committee's reproach and
\nHarmoko's pledge, thousands of Golkar supporters roamed the
\nstreets in convoy here yesterday.<\/p>\n
Their motorcades caused a traffic gridlock around Jl. Panjang,
\nWest Jakarta. Thousands of supporters, yelling slogans and waving
\nbanners, also poured into the streets in Rawamangun, East
\nJakarta. They ran red lights, forcing motorists to give way to
\nthem.<\/p>\n
In Yogyakarta, government officials confirmed yesterday that a
\nmember of Golkar's Cakra security force had died Monday after
\nbeing attacked by strangers.<\/p>\n
Death<\/p>\n
Abu, 46, died in hospital shortly after the attack, which is
\nbelieved to be linked to Cakra's April 30 attack on two PPP
\noffices in Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
PPP lawyer Herman Abdurrachman said yesterday that it would be
\n"premature" to suspect a connection between the attack on the
\nparty offices and Abu's death.<\/p>\n
He said he was sure that no PPP activists were involved in
\nAbu's death, which he blamed on "irresponsible people" wanting to
\ncreate chaos.<\/p>\n
Yogyakarta Sultan Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X appealed for
\ncalm yesterday and reminded the three parties that campaigning
\nwas not war but a way to exercise democracy.<\/p>\n
The sultan said the murder should be considered a criminal
\ncase to be handled by police.<\/p>\n
Harmoko said that supporters of the three parties should
\ncampaign cool-headedly and listen to party policies.<\/p>\n
"Golkar members should refrain from being stirred into doing
\nsomething that could cause trouble."<\/p>\n
The campaign officially began April 27 and will end May 23.
\nThere will be a five-day cooling-off period before election day
\non May 29.<\/p>\n
Harmoko praised police and the army for securing Golkar's
\ncampaign activities in Jakarta and the provinces.<\/p>\n
In the Central Java town of Tegal, Golkar deputy chairwoman
\nSiti Hardiyanti Rukmana praised Moslem ulemas for helping develop
\nGolkar.<\/p>\n
"Golkar is the way it is now thanks to the ulemas' role," she
\ntold thousands of Golkar supporters at a rally.<\/p>\n
Hardiyanti, President Soeharto's eldest daughter, also called
\nTutut, said that Golkar would seek to abolish school fees for
\nelementary and senior high school students.<\/p>\n
"One of Golkar's concrete programs is to abolish school fees
\nso that every citizen has access to education," she was quoted by
\nAntara news agency as saying.<\/p>\n
Elementary and high schools in Tegal were closed early
\nyesterday because teachers and students went to Golkar's campaign
\ngrounds. (pan\/23)<\/p>\n
More stories on Page 2<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/golkar-pledges-orderly-campaigns-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }