Children of retired servicemen pledge loyalty to Golkar

Children of retired servicemen pledge loyalty to Golkar

JAKARTA (JP): Leaders of an association grouping children of
retired service personnel have pledged their allegiance to Golkar
and ordered all their members to vote for the ruling political
group next year's general election.

"It's clear that FKPPI's aspirations lie with Golkar," Bambang
Trihatmodjo, chairman of the Forum of Communication of Children
of Retired Service Personnel (FKPPI), told reporters at the
conclusion of the group's leadership meeting Friday night.

Bambang, the second son of President Soeharto and chief
executive officer of the diversified Bimantara business group,
said all FKPPI members are obliged to vote for Golkar and that
the organization will ensure they do, although the election is by
secret ballot, Antara reported.

Golkar, which is contesting the election next year against the
United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic
Party (PDI), has won all the five general elections held since
1971, each time with landslide majorities.

With the 1997 election approaching, many organizations have
declared their support for Golkar.

Last week, the influential Corps of Civil Servants (KORPRI),
ordered its six million members to cast their votes for Golkar.
The previous month, Pemuda Pancasila, a powerful youth
organization, also pledged its allegiance to the dominant
political group.

Under Bambang's leadership, FKPPI has become even more
influential within Golkar, and many of its leaders have been
recruited as candidates to represent Golkar in next year's
elections.

On Friday night, Bambang was flanked by other executives of
the FKPPI central board, including Secretary-General Indra
Bambang Oetoyo, Yapto Soeryosoemarno, Didiet Haryadi, Ralie
Siregar, Chairul Azwar and Pontjo Sutowo during the meeting with
reporters.

Indra said FKPPI would not tolerate any of its members joining
either PPP or PDI.

"Those who join the political parties will have their
membership of FKPPI rescinded," Indra said. "It wouldn't look
right if I serve for Golkar and there are others in FKPPI who
serve PPP or PDI," he added.

Both Indra and Bambang currently serve on Golkar's central
executive board.

Vote for Golkar

A final declaration read at the end of the FKPPI leadership
meeting appealed to all members and cadres to vote for Golkar to
ensure that the national leadership remains in the hands of the
New Order.

The New Order refers to the administrations of President
Soeharto since 1967 and is used to distinguish it from the Old
Order of President Sukarno.

"Success in the 1997 election will guarantee the existence of
the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia," according to the
declaration read by Chamsiah B. Paliudju, chairperson of the
Central Sulawesi Chapter and wife of the province's governor.

The statement denounced "antiestablishment" forces which use
democracy, human rights and environmental issues as pretexts to
further their goals and to justify their "undemocratic,
unconstitutional and illegal acts."

"They work by setting one group against another, by agitating
people to become antigovernment and by undermining the unity and
cohesion of the nation," according to the statement.

FKPPI also urged the government to confer the title of
"National Heroine" on the late first lady, Mrs. Fatimah Siti
Hartinah Soeharto, on the occasion of Hero's Day on Nov. 10.
(emb)