Wahyoe Boediwardhana
\nand Fabiola Desy Unandjaja
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nGianyar, Bali\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Megawati Soekarnoputri and her presidential challengers
\nstrived to make the most of their \"comparative advantages\" in
\ntheir election campaign debuts on Friday. Campaigners from the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) highlighted
\nefforts to overcome terrorism on the resort island, which is
\nstill reeling from the bomb blasts of October 2002.<\/p>\n
Ida Bagus Putu Wesnawa who heads the provincial branch of the
\nparty told perhaps a hundred thousand supporters in Astina Square
\nin the hill town of Gianyar that \"since Ibu Mega became president
\nthere have been many achievements,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He also said her administration was working to reduce problems
\ninherited from the New Order regime, such as the corrupt
\nbureaucracy, security problems and the threat of disintegration.<\/p>\n
Megawati herself said she refused to brag about the successes
\nof her administration and stressed instead her confidence in the
\ncharacter of the Balinese who would ensure safety and stability
\nduring the election campaign.<\/p>\n
She also said she opted to campaign in Bali, a party
\nstronghold, to counter the perception that the party was losing
\nsupport because of a disappointing performance since she became
\nPresident. \"I'd be ashamed to be the leader of PDI-P if we get
\nless votes (than in 1999). Do you want to shame me?\" she cried
\nout, to a thundering \"no\".<\/p>\n
\"We'll prove people wrong,\" she added. In the 1999 polls PDI-P
\nwon seven out of nine seats from Bali.<\/p>\n
Just over 10 kilometers east of Gianyar, Megawati's sister
\nSukmawati Soekarnoputri also campaigned from the provincial home
\nof the mother of their father, first president Sukarno. Drawing
\non the disillusion with PDI-P's promise to always side with \"the
\nlittle people,\" Sukmawati, leader of the Marhaenisme Indonesian
\nNational Party (PNI Marhaenisme), urged some 5,000 supporters in
\nSemarapura, Klungkung regency, to be true to the spirit of
\nMarhaenisme. It is the name of the doctrine coined by Sukarno
\nafter he befriended a hard-working farmer named Marhaen, which
\nfocuses on state policies on the poor and the self-reliant.<\/p>\n
In Malang, East Java, leader of the Golkar Party Akbar
\nTandjung, seized upon Megawati's \"string of failures\".<\/p>\n
\"The current administration is worse than 10 years ago when
\nGolkar was in power; this government has never been serious about
\naddressing so many crucial issues, such as Aceh,\" the legislature
\nSpeaker told some 10,000 supporters.<\/p>\n
Accompanied by noted singers such as Titiek Puspa, Tandjung
\nadded that none of PDI-P's promises had been fulfilled. \"It is
\nobvious that corruption, collusion and nepotism (KKN) remain
\nrampant, and law enforcement needs to be improved,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Tandjung is seen by many has having benefited greatly from
\nweak law enforcement as last month he was declared free of all
\ncharges by the Supreme Court, in a case where the lower courts
\nfound him guilty of embezzling Rp 40 billion in state funds.<\/p>\n
Golkar was toppled from power in 1999, after being accused of
\ncreating the country's major \"diseases\" such as KKN.<\/p>\n
In Semarang, Central Java, Amien Rais, leader of the National
\nMandate Party (PAN), chose a much more subdued campaign by
\nvisiting traditional markets in his first stop on his tour around
\nthe province. He talked to the vendors and bought vegetables,
\nwhile asking people's views on the campaign.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Thursday, the campaign was marred by incidents in
\nTabanan, some 15 kilometers west of Denpasar.<\/p>\n
An unidentified group of people ripped down several flags
\nbelonging to the PNI Marhaenisme party in Wanasara village.
\nSeveral others hurled stones at the homes of Putu Pasek Widanta
\nand Pan Dewi, both members of the Freedom Bull National Party
\n(PNBK), the house of I Ketut Sueka of the Freedom Party (Partai
\nMerdeka) and that of I Putu Gunawan of Golkar. Election
\nsupervisors said the incidents are under investigation.<\/p>",
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