Military to ban PDI from enlisting members' support<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A top military official told off the East Java
\nchapter of Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) for its plan to
\nenlist support from civil servants and members of the Armed
\nForces (ABRI).<\/p>\n
Chief of Brawijaya regional military command Maj. Gen. Imam
\nUtomo said yesterday in Surabaya, the province's capital, that he
\nwould forbid the party from interviewing civil servants and ABRI
\nmembers to see whether they would join PDI.<\/p>\n
\"That chapter is not even able to list its own members,
\nbecause they're too busy fighting one another, let alone
\nregistering other organization's members,\" Imam was quoted by
\nAntara as saying.<\/p>\n
\"The chapter itself is a mess, now it wants to meddle in other
\npeople's affairs. That's nonsense,\" Imam said further.<\/p>\n
The general was commenting on the recent statement of a PDI
\nactivist in East Java, Sutjipto, that his party would register
\npotential supporters among members of the Armed Forces and the
\nIndonesian Civil Servants Corps.<\/p>\n
The move was apparently a response to recent reports that
\ngovernment officials in some cities in Sumatra and Central Java
\nhad been holding a \"political census\", going door-to-door to ask
\npeople whether they would vote for the ruling Golkar in the 1997
\ngeneral election.<\/p>\n
\"There are no laws that civil servants, members of Armed
\nForces and their wives have to be members of Golkar,\" Sutjipto
\nwas quoted by Kompas daily as saying earlier this week.<\/p>\n
The poll next year will be joined by the ruling Golkar, which
\nenjoys the backing of the bureaucracy and the Armed Forces; PDI;
\nand the Moslem-based United Development Party (PPP).<\/p>\n
Sutjipto said his party's move would serve as political
\neducation so that more members of the public become aware of
\ntheir rights.<\/p>\n
Sutjipto, who has the backing of PDI chief Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri but is currently embroiled in a conflict with
\nLatief Pudjosakti from a rival board, said he planned to deploy
\n5,000 volunteers to register potential supporters next month. The
\nteam will visit civil servants and ABRI members in every office,
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
\"This is a program of the East Java chapter of PDI, but
\nthere's always the possibility it can be implemented by other PDI
\nbranches as well,\" he said. \"I believe, however, that we're going
\nto encounter obstacles, including the provincial administration.\"<\/p>\n
Imam said \"the East Java chapter of PDI may think that civil
\nservants and ABRI members don't have to affiliate with Golkar
\nonly\". However, he said, it is in the best interests of civil
\nservants and ABRI members that they \"lean\" toward Golkar.<\/p>\n
\"I will forbid (Soetjipto) to proceed with his plan,\" Imam
\nsaid. \"He should first report to me because ABRI members are my
\nmen.\"<\/p>\n
\"What has PDI got to do with my men, anyway?\" he said.<\/p>\n
The East Java chapter of PDI has for some time been too
\npreoccupied with its leadership rift to prepare itself for the
\nfast approaching election. Due to the dual leadership, for
\ninstance, the government has decided to leave it unrepresented on
\nthe East Java provincial election committee.<\/p>\n
The party, which is a 1973 merger of some Christian and
\nnationalist parties, won 10 percent and 14 percent of the
\ncontested 400 seats at the House of Representatives during the
\n1987 and 1992 general elections respectively.<\/p>\n
Golkar acquired 74.7 and 70.5 percent, whereas PPP got 15.3
\npercent and 15.4 percent of the votes. (swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/military-to-ban-pdi-from-enlisting-members-support-1447893297",
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