Bloody thumbprint causes campaign stir in Lampung

Bloody thumbprint causes campaign stir in Lampung

Oyos Saroso H.N, The Jakarta Post, Lampung

An official of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-
P) Way Kanan branch in Lampung was shocked to find that a
petition filed by residents included a bloody thumbprint.

Muhajir, 40, the head of a PDI-P team selecting candidates for
regent, discovered the bloody thumbprint on a petition supporting
the candidacy of Lt. Col. Purnomo, the commander of the Army's
local Zeni Corps, as a Way Kanan deputy regent nominee for the
2005/2010 term.

Attached to the petition were copies of the identity cards of
60 residents from Banjit, Gunung Labuhan, Baradatu and Way Tuba
districts.

A petition is required by the PDI-P selection team in the
nomination of a candidate for regent. A direct regental election
is scheduled for June 20.

"It was eerie to receive the petition. The scale of support is
tremendous, as shown by the bloody thumbprint. Goodness knows
what will happen if we reject the candidacy," said Muhajir.

Three days later the PDI-P office received another petition
marked with a bloody thumbprint. It was submitted by hundreds of
residents of Blambangan Umpu in downtown Way Kanan, who supported
the candidacy of Marsidi Hasan for regent.

The residents, who went to the PDI-P Way Kanan office,
demanded that Marsidi Hasan and Purnomo be paired up in the race
for regent and deputy regent.

Marking petitions with bloody thumbprints became a trend among
PDI-P supporters in Java a few years ago and signifies that the
support is firm and strong. It is also thought to be a warning to
the establishment, whether party officials or the government,
that there will be adverse consequences if the people's wishes
are ignored.

More and more people have resorted to this method of
supporting their preferred candidate, although there has been no
research done on whether it is effective in garnering votes.

Nanang Trenggono, a communication expert from the University
of Lampung, said the method of support had a negative impact on
political education. He said the method could create tension and
lead to violence among immature members of the grass roots.

Nanang said the method may not be dangerous in indirect
elections in which candidates are chosen by party officials, but
could prove dangerous in direct elections.

"It could be dangerous in a direct election of heads of
regional governments. In a direct election, the candidates have a
strong affinity with their supporters, and they are known by and
close to their supporters. If they are barred from participating
in an election or they are not elected, it could result in
violence," said Nanang.

Jauhari Zaelani, a political observer from the University of
Bandar Lampung, said candidates should garner support properly
instead of using a threatening symbol.

He said that marking a petition with a bloody thumbprint would
not be effective in garnering public support.

"People in general are more mature than before. The bloody
thumbprint method is often associated with violence and a growing
number of people do not accept it," said Jauhari.