Students protest PPP signing poll results<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): About 20 students protested yesterday over the
\nUnited Development Party's (PPP) decision to accept the general
\nelection results despite alleged widespread poll-rigging.<\/p>\n
Under the watchful eyes of security officers, the activists
\nfrom the Committee of Students Caring for Indonesia protested at
\nthe party's headquarters on Jl. Diponegoro.<\/p>\n
They accused the PPP of hypocrisy over its endorsement of poll
\nresults after its officials had said that electoral fraud had
\nbeen "worse" than in previous elections.<\/p>\n
"The huge popular support demonstrated during the campaign was
\na sign that people badly needed fundamental political reforms but
\nthe PPP has only given them lip service," the activists'
\nstatement said.<\/p>\n
In the May 29 election, the PPP won 89 seats in the House of
\nRepresentatives. It came second after the government-backed
\nGolkar party, which won 325 seats.<\/p>\n
The conflict-ridden Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) saw its
\nrepresentation in the House fall from 56 seats to 11.<\/p>\n
The activists urged the PPP to take its many reported
\nelectoral law violations to court as it had repeatedly promised.<\/p>\n
The PPP approved the poll results after repeatedly threatening
\nto refuse to do so because of widespread poll-rigging by election
\nofficials who favored Golkar.<\/p>\n
After signing the poll results last Monday, PPP chief Ismail
\nHasan Metareum apologized to party supporters for having done so.<\/p>\n
Ismail acknowledged that signing the poll results was an
\n"unpopular" decision that he had had to make for the good of the
\nnation's future.<\/p>\n
The activists dispersed after PPP official Amir Sanang
\npromised to file their petition with the party's leadership. (11)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/students-protest-ppp-signing-poll-results-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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