Megawati warns supporters of provocation<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Megawati Soekarnoputri, ousted chief of the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party (PDI), soothed some 300 supporters at
\nher residence yesterday.<\/p>\n
The supporters, from regions across Indonesia, visited her at
\nthe Kebagusan subdistrict in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, to ask
\nwhat she meant by "not participating" in the campaign as was
\nstated in her directives to loyalists last week.<\/p>\n
"It's clear we're not taking part in the campaign," she said,
\ncalling on her supporters not to be provoked or "coopted" by
\nanyone in the campaign activities.<\/p>\n
She told them to keep their voting cards but did not
\nelaborate.<\/p>\n
An official of Megawati's group, Noviantika Nasution, told The
\nJakarta Post that the supporters had been asked to be patient and
\nwait for Megawati's further instruction regarding the voting
\ncards.<\/p>\n
"We're unable to tell them what step they should take next.
\nWe're watching how the campaign develops. We'll let them know
\nwhat to do later," she said.<\/p>\n
The supporters dispersed peacefully not long after Megawati
\nasked them to lunch.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday last week, Megawati issued a statement that her
\ncamp had tried to follow all of the mandatory stages in the
\ngeneral election, but they were rejected by the authorities. She
\ntherefore declared her camp would not take part in the campaign.<\/p>\n
In a statement praised by many parties, including some senior
\ngovernment officials, Megawati asked her supporters not to take
\npart in the election campaign on behalf of the PDI, but work
\ntogether to make the election democratic and constitutional.<\/p>\n
She said the PDI under her leadership is keen to avoid
\nviolence caused by provocation by certain people, which could be
\nused to discredit PDI members and supporters.<\/p>\n
Haryanto Taslam, the deputy secretary-general, said the
\nstatement meant the faction did not want to be involved further
\nin "an undemocratic and unconstitutional process".<\/p>\n
Megawati's statement relinquished any responsibilities over
\npossible unrest involving PDI, according to Haryanto.<\/p>\n
"We have followed all of the (preliminary) stages in the
\ngeneral election to show that this (faction) is legitimate, but
\nduring these stages we witnessed many violations," he told The
\nJakarta Post over the weekend.<\/p>\n
"As the legitimate board of PDI, we have decided not to be
\ninvolved in the campaign activities. If there are contestants
\nclaiming to be PDI and causing unrest, then they're
\nprovocateurs," he said.<\/p>\n
He said his faction hoped the government was aware of the
\npresence of "an unconstitutional contestant" in the campaign. He
\nwas referring to the PDI under the leadership of Soerjadi, who
\nousted Megawati in June last year. (05)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/megawati-warns-supporters-of-provocation-1447893297",
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