Amien stands high to contest election
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The world's most famous stadiums across the world are known for hosting memorable matches, but here the country's biggest stadium has been reduced to a meeting point of party supporters.
After the rally of the United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) on Sunday, the National Mandate Party (PAN) had its turn to rock the 42-year-old Bung Karno stadium on Monday.
Almost 100,000 people turned the green grass of the stadium blue, the party's color, as they gathered for PAN's last rally in the capital, to the relief of party leader Amien Rais.
Seeing the huge turnout, Amien expressed the conviction that the party had gained more support from the people across the country.
"I have been campaigning in regions from Aceh to Maluku. All of them are packed with people. This proves the party has won more support," he said amid applause from the audience.
Unlike other parties that hired musicians or dangdut singers to attract people, the party presented a marching band parade with performers wearing traditional attire to represent the country's 32 provinces.
Amien, People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker, criticized the government for failing to carry out the reform agenda initiated in 1998.
He said the reform agenda had been derailed and resulted in rampant corruption, illegal logging, and the sale of state assets to foreign companies.
Fearing manipulation during ballot counting, Amien called on the people to closely watch the process. "We must also watch out for vote buying. It is humiliating for the nation," he added.
Noted Muslim scholar Nurcholish Madjid attended the campaign, saying he was forging a coalition for just and clean parties.
After giving his speech, Amien rushed to another rally in Kuningan, West Java, aboard a helicopter.
The crowd of PAN supporters caused a crippling traffic jam on Jl. Sudirman, Jl. Gatot Subroto, and Jl. Asia Afrika. It was not clear why PAN's campaign rally was so well-attended despite the fact that it was held on a Monday.
Separately, the Concern for the Nation Functional Party (PKPB) launched its campaign on a vacant lot located in the middle of an industrial estate area in Ujung Menteng subdistrict, East Jakarta.
Attended by its around 10,000 supporters, the campaign caused traffic congestion along Jl. Bekasi Raya, which was already packed with trucks.
The East Jakarta Police Precinct had to deploy a company of police to guard the campaigners for fear that the party supporters would disrupt the operation of the nearby factories.
The party featured vote getter Siti "Tutut" Hardijanti Rukmana, the eldest daughter of former president Soeharto.
During the campaign, Tutut called on party supporters to pray for the health of her father, whom she claimed was lying sick in bed.
"My father had sent you all his regards, and I ask you to pray for his health... Long live Soeharto. We are asking for your blessings so that the glory of the Soeharto era can be revived," she said.
Meantime, the National Awakening Party (PKB) held a minor gathering on Monday. Former forestry minister Marzuki Usman, a PKB legislative candidate, called on party members to reject money politics.
Legislator Effendi Choirie arrived late, while Syaifullah Yusuf, who had just been dismissed as the party's secretary- general, failed to turn up.
Effendi called on pro-reform groups to stop the revival of New Order for fears that the general election might benefit the old regime.
In Surabaya, presidential candidate from the Democratic Party Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was unable to fulfill the invitation of PKB founder Abdurrahman Wahid to join the latter's campaign as a guest speaker.
In his letter to Abdurrahman, Susilo said the invitation overlapped with his campaign schedule.
Before addressing the crowd, Gus Dur met some Chinese Indonesian community leaders in the city.