Political parties ready for indoor campaigning<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Politicians from the three political parties --
\nthe United Development Party (PPP), Golkar and the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI) -- have agreed to concentrate on indoor
\ncampaigning in the run-up to next year's general election.<\/p>\n
The PDI and PPP said yesterday that indoor campaigns can be
\nmore effective ways of conveying their messages to the public
\nthan mass street rallies.<\/p>\n
Senior PDI legislator Aberson Marle Sihaloho, PDI secretary-
\ngeneral Buttu R. Hutapea and PPP chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum
\nall support the idea recently proposed by President Soeharto.<\/p>\n
\"I totally agree with it,\" Aberson told The Jakarta Post. He
\nadded that out-door campaigns cannot be used to convey the
\nparty's messages effectively.<\/p>\n
\"During past general elections, political parties failed to
\nintroduce their programs to the people because there was no two-
\nway communication between the party's vote-getters and their
\nsupporting masses during the campaigns,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Last week President Soeharto called for new regulations on
\nelection campaigning in order to prevent a repetition of the
\nchaos and violence of past elections. He suggested that campaigns
\nshould no longer be turned into shows of force by the political
\norganizations contesting the elections.<\/p>\n
The President asked the National Council for Defense and
\nSecurity to draw up new regulations for the 1997 general
\nelection. The council, made up of retired military officers,
\nadvises the President on state matters.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Institute of Sciences has announced that it
\nwill conduct strategic social, political and cultural studies on
\nthe political campaigns during next year's general election.<\/p>\n
Aberson, however, said that all parties should have equal
\naccess to television when the indoor campaigning begins next
\nyear.<\/p>\n
\"Part of the general election fund should be used to finance
\ntelevised debates,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Separately, Buttu told the Post mass gatherings were no longer
\nappropriate in election campaigns.<\/p>\n
\"The people are already aware of each party's performance.
\nThey already know which political party represents their
\npolitical aspirations,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Ismail said recently that the party had no objections to the
\nproposed indoor campaign, but suggested that the mass gatherings
\nduring the campaign session should not be totally neglected.<\/p>\n
\"We agree that the election campaigns should not be turned
\ninto shows of force by the political organizations contesting the
\nelections. But there should be a meeting between the party's
\nvote-getters and their supporters,\" Ismail said.<\/p>\n
Golkar chairman Harmoko said recently that his organization
\nalso supported the President's call to concentrate on indoor
\ncampaigning. He said that mass rallies often resulted in
\nundesirable violent clashes between supporters of rival parties.
\n(imn)<\/p>",
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