Candidates float ideas in rally

Candidates float ideas in rally

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Thousands of people lined up along Jl. M.H. Thamrin and Jl.
Sudirman on Tuesday to watch the floats go by as the first day of
a month-long presidential campaign began.

The people, mostly activists who support one of the
candidates, waved flags when their favorite candidate's floats
went by.

Many others, however, just stood on the sidewalk, enjoying the
colorful decorations, some of the vehicles made to resemble food
shops, mosques or ships.

Office clerks in high-rise buildings along the thoroughfares
were also seen standing at the windows, watching the dozens of
colorful floats.

Several vehicles had huge loud speakers with various types of
music in a bid to get people to vote for their candidates.
Several people also tossed out free pins, posters and T-shirts
bearing the faces and names of the candidates.

The floats departed from the National Monument (Monas) Park,
where the candidates all gathered and signed a plaque reading
Ready to Accept Victory or Defeat, a simple gesture to
demonstrate their readiness to hold peaceful campaigns.

"Millions of Indonesian eyes focus on this event with the hope
that the election will be held in a peaceful and democratic way
and will produce leaders who can take the country out of the
crisis," said General Elections Commission (KPU) chairman
Nazaruddin Syamsuddin.

Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso, chairman of the Jakarta General
Election Commission (KPU Jakarta) Muhamad Taufik, National Police
chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar, Jakarta police chief Ins. Gen. Makbul
Patmanagara and Jakarta Military commander Maj. Gen. Agus Sutadi
were also present at the ceremony.

Around 20 floats of the Wiranto-Solahuddin Wahid pairing left
the Monas Park at around 8:50 a.m., followed by floats of
Megawati-Hasyim Muzadi, Amien Rais-Siswono Yudohusodo, Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono-Jusuf Kalla and Hamzah Haz-Agum Gumelar.

However, only Wiranto and Solahuddin were seen parading in an
open truck as the officials apparently forgot to inform them that
presidential and vice presidential candidates were not allowed to
be exposed.

Susilo and Kalla were about to leave the park in an open jeep
but were told to get down and got inside a sedan.

The arrangement disappointed many bystanders who had lined on
the streets to get a first-hand glimpse of the candidates.

"Why were only Wiranto and Solahuddin in an open car. I came
to see the candidates not these other people," said a woman at
Bendungan Hilir busway shelter.

Tuesday's parade went off smoothly despite the fact that all
of the campaign teams had sent more than the 10 vehicles allowed.
There were also no serious traffic jams during the parade that
lasted until 1:30 p.m.

From Monas Park the floats passed through Jl. Medan Merdeka
Barat, Jl. M.H. Thamrin, Jl. Sudirman and to the Semanggi
cloverleaf, where they split up and went to Jakarta's five
municipalities.

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Campaign-candidates
Candidates woo people at market places
JP/3/BOX

The five presidential candidates kicked off their first day of
campaigning on Tuesday, with activities ranging from visiting
traditional markets and family graves to holding closed-door
meetings with business people.

Megawati Soekarnoputri of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI-P) visited Jakarta's Tarakan Hospital, the
Jatinegara public market in East Jakarta, the Senen Market, and
the Glodok business center.

"I visited those places to show the public the (economic and
political) situation (in Indonesia) is secure and I appreciate
the people's enthusiastic response to my campaign," Megawati
said.

Getting down with grass roots constituents was also a priority
for Amien Rais of the National Mandate Party (PAN) and his
running mate, Siswono Yudohusodo, who visited the Cipinang rice
market in East Jakarta, where they talked to traders before
eating lunch with them at the market.

Meanwhile, Golkar Party candidate Gen. (ret) Wiranto chose a
more personal beginning, visiting the graves of his parents in
Surakarta, Central Java, before holding a closed-door meeting
with business people in Jakarta.

Meanwhile, Democratic Party candidate Gen. (ret) Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono along with his deputy, Jusuf Kalla, focussed on
campaign spin, opening the party's media center, before holding a
meeting with United States Ambassador to Indonesia Ralf L. Boyce
in the afternoon.

Nuts and bolts, however, were more important to Hamzah Haz and
Agum Gumelar of the United Development Party (PPP), who held a
press conference at the party's headquarters in Central Jakarta
to outline their policies. --JP