Permadi offers to campaign for smallest party<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Controversial soothsayer Permadi Satrio Wiwoho
\nhas declared his support and readiness to become a vote-getter
\nfor the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) in the 1997 general
\nelection.<\/p>\n
\"I am ready to campaign for PDI,\" he told The Jakarta Post by
\ntelephone yesterday, adding that he was prompted by what he saw
\nas the unfair treatment of PDI by the government.<\/p>\n
\"PDI has always been subjected to dishonesty at even the
\nearliest stages of general elections,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that the ruling Golkar's chairman, Harmoko, has
\nengaged in premature electioneering during his numerous, highly-
\npublicized travels across the country over the past several
\nyears.<\/p>\n
He also said he was motivated to help PDI because its
\nchairperson, Megawati Soekarnoputri, is the daughter of the first
\npresident, Sukarno. \"I admire Sukarno very much,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Besides, he said, citing a book by the renowned futurist John
\nNaisbitt called Megatrends, the future could be the chairwoman's
\ntime.<\/p>\n
\"Megatrends could mean that now is the 'trend' for Mega,\" he
\njoked, referring to the PDI leader by her nickname of Mega.<\/p>\n
Permadi is the second high-profile figure to publicly declare
\nallegiance towards a political grouping. Last week, noted
\nplaywright Emha Ainun Nadjib declared his support for the Moslem-
\nbased United Development Party (PPP).<\/p>\n
Emha later explained to Republika that he backed PPP because
\nhe saw the party as the weakest of the three political groupings.
\nThe Moslem community, including controversial ulema Abdurrahman
\nWahid, have either helped the ruling Golkar or PDI, he said.<\/p>\n
Emha, however, denied he would act as a vote-getter for PPP in
\nthe election campaign next year, or that he wanted to become a
\nleading member or legislator of PPP.<\/p>\n
\"I just want to convince people that PPP is the party that
\nneeds help in the 1997 election,\" Emha said. \"I have the
\nobligation to help PPP in getting its voters back.\"<\/p>\n
Yesterday, Permadi acknowledged that, eager as he was to help
\nPDI, Megawati might not be as enthusiastic.<\/p>\n
\"She might reject my offer because of some political reasons,\"
\nhe said. \"Whether I could become a PDI vote-getter or not depends
\nentirely on her.\"<\/p>\n
Permadi recently completed a five-month jail term after he was
\nfound guilty of denigrating Islam during a seminar. Yesterday, he
\nsaid his presence might not be favorable for PDI.<\/p>\n
\"By including a controversial person like me, the party (runs
\nthe risk of inviting) even harsher treatment from the power
\nholders,\" Permadi said.<\/p>\n
He also explained that in past general elections, he never
\nvoted for PDI.<\/p>\n
\"I used to be a Golput,\" he said, referring to the acronym for
\nGolongan Putih, literally meaning \"white group\", coined to
\ndescribe a group of people who, for various reasons, refuse to
\nsupport or vote for any of the three political contestants.<\/p>\n
Those who claim to be a Golput either leave their ballots
\nblank or mark all the three contestants as their choice, thus
\nrendering their votes invalid.<\/p>\n
Soesilo Utomo, a political observer at the Diponegoro
\nUniversity in Semarang, Central Java, said the open declaration
\nof support for political parties by noted figures such as Permadi
\nand Emha is proof of \"growing courage of the common people to say
\nthe truth\".<\/p>\n
\"It is a sign of courage to stand up to the established force,
\nnamely the power holders,\" he told the Post.<\/p>\n
\"Both Emha and Permadi are known as critics of the government
\nand as the defenders of the downtrodden, the people who are being
\nmarginalized,\" he said further.<\/p>\n
In addition, both figures are \"symbols of the critical voice
\nof the common people, the youths, the students and the
\npoliticians who have been shoved away from the game,\" he said,
\nadding that the two will greatly appeal to those groups in the
\nelections. (imn\/har)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/permadi-offers-to-campaign-for-smallest-party-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}