Susilo bounces back with presidential bid<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta,<\/p>\n
Former Cabinet minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono issued an appeal
\nfor respect of political differences, as both he and his former
\nboss President Megawati Soekarnoputri enjoyed a warm welcome on
\nSaturday from their respective supporters.<\/p>\n
In the East Java town of Banyuwangi, Susilo called on the
\nDemocratic Party followers to give him the support he needed to
\nresolve the country's chronic and multidimensional problems.<\/p>\n
He also urged party supporters to respect pluralism in
\npolitical aspirations.<\/p>\n
\"All party supporters are good friends. I ask Democratic Party
\nmembers to build amity as they are our brothers,\" Susilo said.<\/p>\n
He was accompanied by his wife Kurniati, who is a deputy
\nchairperson of the party.<\/p>\n
Susilo will go on to Bali, the stronghold of Megawati's
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), in an apparent
\ntest of the Balinese people's long-standing loyalty to the
\nincumbent president.<\/p>\n
Susilo was officially dismissed on Friday as the coordinating
\nminister for security and political affairs, following a well-
\npublicized rift with Megawati over his role in her Cabinet.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of kilometers apart in the Riau capital of Pekanbaru,
\nMegawati called on party supporters to fight it out to win as
\nmany seats as possible in the legislative bodies, saying it would
\nboost her chances of winning a full five-year term.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, meanwhile, indoor campaigns managed to lure more
\npeople on Saturday than on the previous day.<\/p>\n
The United Development Party (PPP), the New Indonesia Alliance
\nParty (PPIB) and the United Democratic Nationhood (PDK)
\nemphasized the importance of education as a sound foundation for
\nthe country's future.<\/p>\n
PDK chairman Andi Mallarangeng delivered the party platform
\nbefore some 1,500 supporters in the Rawamangun Velodrome, saying
\nthat it would be impossible to elevate the quality of life in the
\ncountry if the government maintained the current small budget
\npolicy.<\/p>\n
PDK also held similar campaigns at a bus station in East
\nJakarta and the Ragunan Auditorium in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Rosita S. Noer, top executive of PPIB, also aired such a
\nconcern, blaming the current government for failing to allocate
\nan adequate budget for education.<\/p>\n
A clash reminiscent of the clash between PDI-P and Golkar
\nParty supporters in Bali last October almost broke out in
\nMakassar, the capital of South Sulawesi.<\/p>\n
About 100 supporters of the country's two largest parties,
\nwere involved in an argument on Saturday morning when a group of
\nPDI-P supporters tried to erect flags and other symbols of the
\nparty in Tamanlanrea area, but were blocked by their Golkar
\nrivals.<\/p>\n
Police intervened just in time and detained one PDI-P
\nsupporter. He was freed later on as representatives of the two
\nparties met and agreed on a truce.<\/p>\n
In Yogyakarta, at a number of strategic places, brochures and
\npamphlets bearing the faces of Megawati and Golkar Party chairman
\nAkbar Tandjung were spotted.<\/p>\n
\"Choose Mega and Akbar\", \"Coalition of PDI-P and Golkar\", the
\nbrochures read, suggesting an alliance between the two political
\ngiants.<\/p>\n
The local leaders of the parties, however, said they did not
\nknow who had distributed the brochures.<\/p>\n
Megawati's husband Taufik Kiemas visited Boyolali in Central
\nJava and the West Nusa Tenggara capital of Mataram and painted
\nthe two towns red. Taufik reiterated a possible coalition between
\nPDI-P and Golkar, in view of their common nationalist platform.<\/p>\n
In Serang, Banten, State Minister for Cooperatives and Small,
\nMedium Enterprises Ali Marwan Hanan campaigned for the United
\nDevelopment Party (PPP). He said the party would fight for
\nIslamic values and provide inexpensive education and health
\nservices for the people.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/susilo-bounces-back-with-presidential-bid-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}