Golkar's voter information drive draws fire<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The ruling political organization's alleged
\npremature electioneering in Central and East Java has angered
\npoliticians from the rival parties.<\/p>\n
Politicians from the minority Indonesian Democratic Party
\n(PDI) and the United Development Party (PPP) said yesterday that
\nGolkar's activities are a blatant violation of the electoral
\nrules.<\/p>\n
Aberson Marle Sihaloho, a PDI legislator, said the President,
\nas the election organizer, should move to stop the illegal
\nelectioneering undertaken by village chiefs.<\/p>\n
Golkar, the Moslem-based PPP and the nationalists-Christian
\nalliance PDI will contest next year's election for the 425 seats
\nin the house of Representatives.<\/p>\n
Golkar, who currently has 282 seats in the House, intends to
\nrecoup the 17 seats it lost to the PDI and PPP in the 1992
\nelection to augment its majority.<\/p>\n
Under the electoral rules, election campaigning is determined
\nby the General Election Institute. It is usually conducted only
\nabout one month ahead of the election day.<\/p>\n
"The House members should convene to discuss what the
\nPresident should do to stop the campaigning," Aberson told The
\nJakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Village chiefs in Central and East Java have reportedly
\nembarked on door-to-door campaigning for Golkar. But the
\ngovernors of the two provinces have denied the reports.<\/p>\n
PPP chief Ismail Hasan Metareum has denounced the premature
\nelectioneering and threatened to file a complaint with the
\nOfficial Election Monitoring Committee.<\/p>\n
It was reported that village chiefs gave residents forms on
\nwhich they were asked to write down their personal identity, job,
\naddress and which political organization they would vote for in
\nthe next election.<\/p>\n
The premature electioneering took place in the Central Java
\ntowns of Pemalang, Tegal and Pekalongan, and in a number of
\nvillages in the East Java regencies of Gresik and Pasuruan.<\/p>\n
Chief of the Gresik PPP chapter Sa'i Musa told The Post
\nyesterday he had been flooded with reports from party members on
\nGolkar's campaigning.<\/p>\n
"All this shows that democratization is leading nowhere. More
\nand more government officials trick us ordinary people," he said.<\/p>\n
East Java governor Basofi Soedirman claims he knew nothing of
\nthe alleged premature electioneering.<\/p>\n
"If it is proven that village chiefs have made rounds of
\nresidents, it doesn't matter. People don't have to fill in the
\nforms if they are not inclined to do so," he said.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security
\nSoesilo Soedarman and the General Election Institute also claimed
\nthey "knew nothing" of the alleged electioneering.<\/p>\n
"I have yet to accept reports on it. You should go to the
\nMinistry of Home Affairs to seek confirmation. I do not know all
\nthings," Soesilo said yesterday.<\/p>\n
On Monday Armed Forces Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung
\nthreatened to crush any attempt to sabotage the 1997 general
\nelection.<\/p>\n
"ABRI is determined to make the general election in 1997 and
\nthe presidential election in 1998 a success," he said in a
\nwritten statement conveyed by Police Chief Lt. Gen. Dibyo Widodo.
\n(15\/rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/golkars-voter-information-drive-draws-fire-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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