Rallies heat up on Day 6<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The lackluster reception since last Thursday's kick-off of the
\n22-day campaign period vanished on Tuesday -- at least in part,
\nas indicated by severe traffic jams and accompanying moods caused
\nacross the city by a vigorous show of force by the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and Muslim-based Prosperous
\nJustice Party (PKS).<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Muslim-oriented Reform Star Party (PBR) tried to
\nsteal the show by displaying photographs of its chairman, a
\nfamous Muslim preacher often dubbed the \"preacher with a million
\nfollowers\".<\/p>\n
The PDI-P, which won largest votes in the 1999 general
\nelection, clearly wanted to display their unwaning strength over
\nthe past five years to the 23 other contending parties -- amid a
\ngrowing perception, even within the party, that it will likely
\nget less votes at the April 5 legislative election.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the PKS, often described as one of the most well-
\norganized parties, has been quite successful in maintaining this
\nimage, although it had clearly violated election rules
\nprohibiting the involvement of children in campaigns.<\/p>\n
The street rallies are also a blatant violation of the General
\nElection Law, as only indoor campaigns are scheduled until March
\n25. Outdoor campaigns are to be held from March 26 to April 1.<\/p>\n
Despite their different political platforms, PDI-P and PKS
\ncampaigners joined forces to warn potential voters of the dangers
\nof the return of Soeharto, in whatever new guise.<\/p>\n
PKS chairman Hidayat Nur Wahid said the corruption that
\nflourished under the Reform era did not justify efforts to
\nreinstate the bygone New Order, as was being promoted by the
\nSoeharto-backed Concern for the Nation Functional Party (PKPB).<\/p>\n
\"However subtle and harmless the corruption under the New
\nOrder administration may have seemed, it impoverished millions of
\ncitizens and plunged us into constant indebtedness to the IMF,\"
\nhe said, referring to the International Monetary Fund.<\/p>\n
In the Bulungan sports complex, South Jakarta, top PDI-P
\ncampaigner Roy B.B. Janis echoed the concern, saying that a
\nreturn to the old New Order would be nothing but a huge setback
\nfor a country that was moving towards development.<\/p>\n
\"But I strongly believe that PDI-P supporters know what's best
\nfor themselves and the country,\" he said to a rowdy crowd.<\/p>\n
Tuesday's campaigns however, were marred by at least two
\nincidents involving party supporters.<\/p>\n
After campaigning in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, dozens of
\nPBR supporters visited TV7 station on Jl. Sudirman, accusing the
\nbroadcaster of taking sides, as it failed to show the thousands
\nof the supporters attending the event, and claimed the station
\nhad tried to discredit the party.<\/p>\n
The incident marked the first move against a media by a
\npolitical party since the start of the campaign period.<\/p>\n
The visit followed earlier remarks made by PBR chairman
\nZainuddin M.Z. criticizing TV stations for favoring particular
\nparties.<\/p>\n
The supporters eventually left the office without causing any
\nviolence after top TV7 executives promised to rebroadcast the
\nfootage on Wednesday morning.<\/p>\n
In the second incident, PKS followers were mobbed by dozens of
\nPDI-P supporters after they were caught up in the middle of PDI-
\nP's street campaign on Jl. Kyai Tapa, West Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Police intervened and removed the PKS supporters from the
\narea. No arrests were made.<\/p>\n
In Madura, East Java, National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman
\nAmien Rais brushed aside a possible coalition between PDI-P and
\nGolkar, the two largest parties, saying the two had a bad
\nrelationship and different agendas.<\/p>\n
If they were to join forces, Amien said he would not rule out
\nthe possibility of PAN forming a coalition with other reform
\nparties to challenge the powerful Golkar-PDI-P coalition.<\/p>\n
Separately, Golkar deputy chairman Agung Laksono said the
\nparty would pursue more voters among Indonesians working abroad
\nin Malaysia, Singapore and Saudi Arabia.<\/p>",
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