Golkar supporters attack PPP offices<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Two groups participating in a Golkar rally
\nvandalized two United development Party (PPP) offices and injured
\none person here yesterday, a local party official said.<\/p>\n
The incidents marred Golkar's otherwise orderly campaign
\nelsewhere in Java, Maluku and Irian Jaya, where its politicians
\nreiterated promises to eradicate poverty and create more jobs.<\/p>\n
The first incident occurred in Kota Gede, a PPP stronghold,
\nwhere about 50 people in Golkar attire jumped out of trucks and
\nvandalized a PPP office about 5 p.m.<\/p>\n
Yogyakarta's PPP mayoralty branch office chief, Sukri Fadholi,
\nsaid police saw the attack but did not intervene until the
\nintruders left.<\/p>\n
The stone-throwing mob shattered window panes, doors and
\nwreaked furniture. They also removed nine PPP flags.<\/p>\n
Sukri said the vandals assaulted a PPP security taskforce
\nmember, Sujari, who refused to leave when the office was stormed.<\/p>\n
"Strangely, the police picked up Sujari, not the attackers,
\nfor questioning. This is unfair," he said.<\/p>\n
Another group wearing Golkar attire pelted the Yogyakarta
\nprovincial PPP headquarters on Jl. Tentara Rakyat Mataram with
\nstones.<\/p>\n
Security officers managed to disperse the rampaging crowd
\nwhich had caused minor damage.<\/p>\n
The chairman of PPP's Yogyakarta chapter, Alfian Darmawan,
\nsaid he could not accept the incident but refused to say what he
\nwould do.<\/p>\n
"If the authorities cannot guarantee security, we'd better
\nstop campaigning," he said.<\/p>\n
Golkar's campaigns recorded high turnout in the Central Java
\ntown of Magelang where chairman Harmoko was present and in
\nJakarta where senior cabinet ministers addressed supporters.<\/p>\n
Reports from various cities in Java said Golkar members came
\nto the campaign sites but left to hold street rallies.<\/p>\n
Holding street rallies is forbidden but both the PPP and
\nGolkar have violated this rule.<\/p>\n
Supporters said they were not keen to listen to campaigners'
\nspeeches because no cabinet ministers turned up.<\/p>\n
Hari Wahyudi from Golkar's East Java chapter said the minister
\nof finance, Mar'ie Muhammad, the minister of religious affairs,
\nTarmizi Taher, and the state minister of population, Haryono
\nSuyono, did not make it to campaigns in Kediri, Malang and
\nBanyuwangi because they were busy.<\/p>\n
Besides the three ministers, businessman Probosutedjo, House
\nspeaker Wahono, and former vice president Sudharmono also failed
\nto campaign for Golkar in East Java.<\/p>\n
The state minister of public housing, Akbar Tandjung, who was
\nsupposed to address a Golkar gathering in Yogyakarta, also failed
\nto appear before 20,000 waiting supporters. No explanation was
\ngiven.<\/p>\n
Harmoko and secretary-general Ary Mardjono in Magelang
\nreiterated Golkar's commitment to alleviating poverty.<\/p>\n
The minister of cooperatives and small enterprises, Subiakto
\nTjakrawerdaya, spoke of raising the poor's living standards while
\ncampaigning in Cilacap, Central Java. (imn\/har\/23\/38)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/golkar-supporters-attack-ppp-offices-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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