To Mecca with Golkar?<\/p>\n
JEPARA, Central Java (JP): Hundreds of Moslems going on the
\nhaj pilgrimage to Mecca were caught up in the raging political
\ncolor war here yesterday.<\/p>\n
They found it impossible to say no when the government
\nofficials that had arranged their departure coerced them into
\nbuying yellow suitcases which some claimed were of low quality.<\/p>\n
Yellow is the color of the dominant political organization,
\nGolkar, whose \"yellowization\" campaign has enraged its rivals,
\nthe United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty (PDI).<\/p>\n
\"I don't know why we were forced to buy these low-quality
\nyellow suitcases. It wouldn't have been a big fuss if it were of
\nhigh quality,\" said would-be pilgrim Suparlan.<\/p>\n
The yellow suitcases drew sharp criticism from the Moslem-
\noriented PPP, which described the government's policy as the
\n\"politicization of the haj pilgrimage\".<\/p>\n
\"It's improper to politicize the religious journey,\" said
\nMaskuri, the Jepara PPP chief. \"It's going too far. We protest
\nit,\" he told journalists.<\/p>\n
He said he was worried that all haj pilgrims from Central Java
\nwould be made to buy yellow suitcases.<\/p>\n
In the color war, which has been raging since Jan. 10, PPP
\nactivists repainted white all public objects that Golkar admirers
\nhad painted yellow.<\/p>\n
PDI activists sympathetic to PPP's cause have stepped into
\nthe battle, repainting yellow objects red and white, the colors
\nof Indonesia's flag. (har\/pan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/to-mecca-with-golkar-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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