Govt reiterates call to vote<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia concludes its 27-day campaigning
\nperiod today with the government reiterating its call to people
\nnot to abstain from voting on May 29.<\/p>\n
Secretary-general of the General Elections Institute Suryatna
\nSubrata told a press conference at the agency's office in Central
\nJakarta that people \"must use their political rights and vote\".<\/p>\n
Hours later, ousted chief of the Indonesian Democratic Party
\n(PDI) Megawati Soekarnoputri declared her intention to return her
\nregistration form and abstain from voting.<\/p>\n
\"I, Megawati Soekarnoputri, in my capacity as an individual,
\nhave decided not to use my political right to vote on May 29,\"
\nshe said in a statement lasting 15 minutes at her home in
\nKebagusan, Pasar Minggu subdistrict.<\/p>\n
\"Voting is a citizen's individual right and people must
\nexercise this right in accordance with their own conscience.\"<\/p>\n
Abstaining from voting is legal under Indonesian electoral
\nlaw, but it is an offense to encourage others not to vote.<\/p>\n
\"I am calling on the nation to listen to your conscience when
\nthe time comes for you to exercise your political rights on the
\nelection day,\" said Megawati, who retains a large following
\ndespite being toppled from the party's helm at a rebel congress
\nlast year. The congress reinstated former chairman Soerjadi.<\/p>\n
More than 124 million eligible voters are expected to go to
\nthe polls next week to elect 425 members of the House of
\nRepresentatives (DPR).<\/p>\n
Suryatna said people help ensure that the country's
\ndevelopment programs continue through their participation in the
\nelectoral process.<\/p>\n
He instructed polling witnesses from the three election
\nparties -- Golkar, the United Development Party (PPP) and PDI --
\nto do their job well and immediately report any violations to the
\ninstitute.<\/p>\n
Suryatna spoke after chairing a meeting evaluating the past
\nweek of sometimes violent campaigning. The authorities reported
\n126 fatalities in traffic accidents during rallies.<\/p>\n
Supporters<\/p>\n
Megawati insisted she remained the lawful PDI chief, termed
\nSoerjadi's leadership unconstitutional and vowed to continue
\nchallenging him in court. Most of her lawsuits filed across the
\ncountry are still in appeal courts.<\/p>\n
Many of her supporters pledged to stand behind her.<\/p>\n
\"I think our supporters have the same understanding...that they
\nwill exercise their rights not to vote for the government-backed
\nbut unconstitutional PDI,\" said Mangara Siahaan, a former film
\nstar who was named a deputy chairman by Megawati.<\/p>\n
PDI legislator Marcel Beding also said he would not vote.<\/p>\n
In a related development, 10,000 Megawati supporters from
\nYogyakarta and several Central Java cities staged a brief
\nJavanese rite at the Parangkusumo Beach in Bantul in support of
\nMegawati. They floated PDI flags, rose and jasmine petals and
\nother offerings out to sea, concluding the act with a prayer.<\/p>\n
\"We'll still wait for Megawati's final instruction before we
\nmake our decision regarding the general election,\" said Suprapti,
\na 60-year-old loyalist.<\/p>\n
Megawati's statement quashed speculation that she would give a
\nformal blessing to her thousands of supporters on forming an
\nalliance with the PPP. Analysts have cited the growing ranks of
\npeople brandishing her picture at PPP rallies.<\/p>\n
PPP leader Djufrie Asmoredjo said yesterday that his party
\n\"won't be affected by Megawati's stance..much less become
\nworried...because we have our own reliable supporters\".<\/p>\n
Thousands of Soerjadi's supporters attended a PDI campaign in
\nBanjarnegara, Central Java, yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"Alhamdulillah (praise Allah), our branch remains solid and
\nunaffected by the PDI's internal dispute,\" Bambang Sunaryo,
\nchairman of the Board of Advisors of the PDI's Central Java
\nchapter, told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
He claimed that many PDI supporters who were believed to have
\njoined Megawati's ranks had now declared their allegiance to
\nSoerjadi. (imn\/amd\/23\/wah)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-reiterates-call-to-vote-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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