Party leaders join voting queues<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie reprimanded his
\nbodyguards for trying to scare off journalists who bombarded him
\nwith questions after voting, while his predecessor Soeharto
\nthanked those wishing him a happy birthday, which falls on
\nTuesday.<\/p>\n
Presidential hopeful Megawati Soekarnoputri, meanwhile, told
\nthe media to leave her alone.<\/p>\n
"Please let them stand near me and ask questions," the
\nPresident told his bodyguards who tried to get rid of a foreign
\nTV cameraman after Habibie voted on Jl. Patra Kuningan Raya, near
\nhis private residence in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Habibie arrived with his wife Hasri Ainun at the polling
\nstation erected in a field under a marquee just 150 meters from
\nhis house. The traveled there by minibus during a downpour.<\/p>\n
He was listed as the ninth voter and waited 25 minutes for his
\nturn while chairman of the polling station read out a written
\nspeech by General Elections Commission (KPU) chairman Rudini. The
\nstatement was read at all polling stations across the country.<\/p>\n
"It is the first time that 48 parties have attended the
\nelections being organized, monitored and controlled by the
\npeople," Habibie said after touring four polling stations in
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
Soeharto, who celebrates his 78th birthday on Tuesday, was
\naccompanied by his eldest daughter Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana,
\neldest son Sigit Harjojudanto and youngest daughter Siti Hutami
\nEndang Adyningsih. He walked from his eldest daughter's house to
\na polling station 50 meters away on Jl. Yusuf Adiwinata, Central
\nJakarta, and waited in line for a few minutes.<\/p>\n
"It is a secret," Soeharto replied when journalists asked him
\nwhat party he voted for.<\/p>\n
Golkar, which he established and firmly controlled during his
\nterms in power, was defeated by the Indonesian Democratic Party
\nof Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) at the polling station.<\/p>\n
"Those who win and those who lose must have big hearts," said
\nSiti, also known as Tutut, after voting.<\/p>\n
Megawati was apparently too exhausted after the campaign
\nperiod. On Sunday she visited the tomb of her father Sukarno in
\nBlitar, East Java.<\/p>\n
Wearing a white blouse and a blue skirt, Megawati walked to
\nthe polling station 50 meters from her South Jakarta residence.<\/p>\n
"Get out of my house!" she yelled at local and foreign
\njournalists who followed her back to her home.<\/p>\n
According to Antara, she lost her patience when a desperate
\njournalist shouted: "How will you lead this nation if you do not
\neven care to make a single comment?"<\/p>\n
Chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) Amien Rais voted
\nin his hometown of Yogyakarta and chatted with locals before
\ncasting his vote.<\/p>\n
Amien is one of the most accessible presidential hopefuls. He
\nwas also among the few people, including presidential hopeful Sri
\nBintang Pamungkas, who criticized Soeharto when the latter was at
\nthe peak of his power.<\/p>\n
Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung cautioned his political party
\nmembers about possibility of losing the elections, and said
\nGolkar was ready to act as an opposition party. He voted near his
\nofficial South Jakarta residence in the Widya Chandra ministerial
\ncomplex, where he is registered although he is no longer a
\nminister.<\/p>\n
Chairman of People's Democratic Party (PRD) Budiman Sudjatmiko
\nand other six party executives were mere witnesses to the voting
\nprocess at the Cipinang Penitentiary in East Jakarta as they were
\namong prisoners who were not entitled to vote.<\/p>\n
Budiman was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 1997 for
\nsubversion and has refused a pardon, saying he is innocent. By
\nlaw, those serving more than five years are not eligible to vote
\nin elections.<\/p>\n
"We are not disappointed, but we hope that we will get about 2
\npercent of the seats," Budiman said.<\/p>\n
His party won two votes at Soeharto's polling station and one
\nat Habibie's polling station.<\/p>\n
He may also expect much from his father Wartono Karyo Utomo's
\nefforts in leading his party during the campaign period in Bogor,
\nWest Java. Wartono is Bogor's PRD chairman.<\/p>\n
National Awakening Party (PKB) founder Abdurrahman Wahid
\nboasted that his party would be able to defeat PDI Perjuangan,
\nPAN and Golkar.<\/p>\n
"Voters will turn their backs on the parties and vote for
\nPKB," he crowed after voting, with help from his daughter.<\/p>\n
PKB secretary-general Muhaimin Iskandar, who voted at the same
\npolling station, cast his vote just before the 2 p.m. deadline.
\nHe initially arrived at 9:20 a.m. but left after seeing the long
\nqueue.<\/p>\n
"I wanted to shave first," he said.<\/p>\n
Said Aqiel Siradj, an executive of Nahdlatul Ulama led by
\nAbdurrahman, skipped a 20-meter queue to vote, Antara reported.<\/p>\n
The polling station in Ciganjur near Abdurrahman's residence
\nwas also where some 200 taxi drivers voted as the garage of PT
\nExpres Taksi is near the polling station. (prb\/ind\/arh)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/party-leaders-join-voting-queues-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}