Golkar 'the common enemy' to beat lawfully in polls<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Ruling party Golkar will be the common enemy of
\nparties seeking political changes in the country, but it must be
\ndefeated through fair play, politician Rudini said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Rudini, a patron of the MKGR Party, said in a seminar on
\nelections jointly organized by Antara news agency, Republika
\ndaily and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Foundation that there have
\nbeen growing fears that Golkar would resort to using money in its
\nbid to maintain the status quo.<\/p>\n
\"Basically every party is open to the use of money politics,
\nbut Golkar has undoubtedly become the center of public suspicion
\nbecause it is the best prepared and financially the strongest
\ncontender,\" said Rudini, who also chairs the General Election
\nCommission (KPU).<\/p>\n
Golkar, formerly an alliance of civil servants and the Armed
\nForces, has at least Rp 17 billion (US$1.9 million) in its war
\nchest and is expected to have a head start in the June 7
\nelections.<\/p>\n
Rudini was commenting on the issue of money politics allegedly
\npracticed by Golkar. A number of party figures who attended the
\nseminar said Golkar had started using money to woo potential
\nvoters.<\/p>\n
Being a minister of home affairs between 1988 and 1993, Rudini
\nadmitted that the use of money to secure the lion's share of
\nvotes was an old practice.<\/p>\n
Golkar emerged with a clear majority in each of the last six
\npolls held under the fallen Soeharto's New Order regime amid
\ncomplaints of cheating and election rigging.<\/p>\n
Rudini suggested that opposition to Golkar should unite from
\nthe early stages of the election campaign to prevent the ruling
\nparty clinging to power.<\/p>\n
\"If we want Golkar to lose, we have to improve ourselves. Each
\nof us must develop tolerance to differences on our way to
\nconsensus,\" Rudini said.<\/p>\n
He warned new parties against excessive spending, saying that
\nin the reform era money could not buy votes.<\/p>\n
Habib of the Abul Yatama Party was one of those party
\nrepresentatives who raised concerns over Golkar's alleged money
\npolitics.<\/p>\n
\"They have donated to foundations or organizers of places of
\nworship in order to buy the people's votes. Golkar is very
\nskillful in doing so,\" Habib said.<\/p>\n
Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung was upset by the growing
\nanimosity toward his party, as many people suspect that the party
\nwould justify all means of retaining the lion's share of votes in
\nthe upcoming polls.<\/p>\n
\"I cannot understand why many people consider that a Golkar
\nvictory will mean a failure by the country to hold a just and
\nfair general election. I don't accept such logic,\" Akbar, who is
\nMinister\/State Secretary, said at Merdeka Palace.<\/p>\n
He said elections would run justly and fairly if all
\ncontestants observe the rules of the game.<\/p>\n
\"Golkar has from the beginning been committed to competing in
\ndemocratic, just and fair way and accepting a direct, free and
\nconfidential ballot under the eyes of either formal or informal
\nmonitoring bodies,\" Akbar said.<\/p>\n
He said another win for Golkar would indicate public trust in
\nit, instead of election rigging.<\/p>\n
\"We, too, are ready to accept the bad news if the people
\nchoose parties other than Golkar, We will even acknowledge a new
\ngovernment that excludes Golkar,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In Central Java hostility and violence continued to tarnish
\nthe election proceedings. Chief of the local People's Democratic
\nParty (PRD) Bambang Purnomo said on Tuesday a group of
\nunidentified people beat him up on Sunday evening in the Simpang
\nLima area in downtown Semarang.<\/p>\n
An office and a car belonging to the United Development Party
\n(PPP) were set on fire in Pekalongan on Monday. At about the same
\ntime 200 more Golkar banners were pulled down in Semarang and
\nRembang. (edt\/har\/prb\/amd)<\/p>",
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