Golkar's win doesn't harm democracy<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Golkar officials are trying to placate critics
\nwho claim that democracy will perish if the ruling political
\ngroup clinches a landslide victory in the 1997 election.<\/p>\n
Golkar chief Harmoko said Sunday that some groups were out to
\nspread false information about the dangerous implications of a
\nGolkar victory.<\/p>\n
\"No Golkar cadre should be fooled by such information,\" he
\ntold a gathering of thousands of Golkar supporters in the West
\nSumatra region of Pesisir Selatan.<\/p>\n
Golkar officials have, on numerous occasions, publicly aired
\ntheir determination to expand its majority in the House but none
\nhave specifically mentioned their targeted number.<\/p>\n
Harmoko, who, as Minister of Information, has firm control
\nover the mass media, assured that Golkar is committed to
\ndeveloping democracy.<\/p>\n
\"If you believe such a misleading campaign, it is possible for
\nIndonesia to plunge into the years of darkness where poverty and
\npolitical divisions were the order of the day,\" he was quoted by
\nAntara as saying.<\/p>\n
Established by the military to counter the growing influence
\nof the Indonesian Communist Party in 1964, Golkar snatched 282,
\nor 68 percent, of the contested 400 seats in the House of
\nRepresentatives in the 1992 election.<\/p>\n
The minority parties, the United Development Party (PPP) and
\nthe Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), obtained 62 and 56 seats
\nrespectively.<\/p>\n
The Armed Forces, which plays a dominant role in Indonesian
\npolitics but does not take part in general elections, is reserved
\n100 seats in the legislative body.<\/p>\n
Harmoko, the first civilian elected to lead Golkar in 1993,
\nsaid under Golkar Indonesia has made tremendous progress not only
\nin the economy but also in the development of democracy.
\n (pan)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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