PPP and PDI say rules hurting campaigns<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The United Development Party (PPP) and the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party (PDI) have blamed the government's
\nfloating mass policy for the failure of their indoor rallies.<\/p>\n
PPP media director Hisyam Usamah told The Jakarta Post
\nyesterday that audiences' poor political education meant they
\ncould not understand the speeches at indoor rallies.<\/p>\n
The floating mass policy bars political organizations from
\nhaving subdistrict and district offices. Indoor rallies are being
\nrun in districts and subdistricts until campaigning concludes on
\nMay 23.<\/p>\n
\"We don't have branches in districts and subdistricts, so how
\ncan indoor speeches proceed effectively?\" Hisyam asked.<\/p>\n
The Moslem-based party had suggested that discussions be held
\non campuses but the government rejected this idea, Hisyam said.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of people, including children and housewives, have
\nattended indoor rallies since campaigning began on April 27. But
\nmost audiences are too shy to participate in discussions.<\/p>\n
Party discussions have also been broadcasted by state
\ntelevision station TVRI. These broadcasts involve party leaders
\nspeaking to audiences selected by their respective parties.<\/p>\n
PDI deputy secretary Romulus Sihombing has complained that the
\nfloating mass policy stops parties getting feedback from
\nsupporters.<\/p>\n
\"Our society is not ready to share fresh ideas, let alone
\ndefend the ideas. They enjoy joining street rallies instead.<\/p>\n
\"What is going on in the discussion campaigns now is
\nmiscommunication because of the extreme gap of knowledge between
\ncampaigners and audiences,\" Romulus said.<\/p>\n
Hisyam said indoor discussions should eventually feature
\nrepresentatives of all three parties in policy debates.<\/p>\n
\"A political party uses campaigning to lure other people to
\nvote for it. It does not need to draw sympathy from its own
\nsupporters,\" Hisyam said.<\/p>\n
Hisyam's Golkar counterpart, Fahmi Alatas, said that, although
\nthey were hard to run, Golkar had got good feedback from grass-
\nroots supporters during indoor rallies.<\/p>\n
\"Our audiences turned out to have the guts to express their
\ncomplaints in public forums,\" Fahmi said yesterday. \"We indeed
\nbenefit from of this form of campaigning.\"<\/p>\n
He said that audiences' education could impede the
\ndiscussions, but it should not happen if campaigners were well
\nprepared and had adequate communication skills.<\/p>\n
The May 29 general election pits the three government-
\nsanctioned political organizations, Golkar, United Development
\nParty (PPP) and Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).<\/p>\n
Under the campaigning rules, street rallies are banned and
\ncontestants are required to focus on indoor \"dialog campaigns.\"
\n(amd)<\/p>",
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