Dismal turnouts at PDI rallies
Dismal turnouts at PDI rallies
SURABAYA (JP): Poor turnouts continued to stain the Indonesian
Democratic Party's (PDI) campaign yesterday, with a rally here
attracting only 18 people.
To liven up the rally on Jl. Bintoro, organizers persuaded
children to come along in exchange for free, red T-shirts.
Sabrot Malioboro and Koesmawati Balukh led the tiny rally,
where the 80 security guards far outnumbered the participants. It
was the guards' easiest job since campaigning began on April 27.
"This is a rally of security officials," said Toni, a member
of the audience.
Sabrot focussed on growing unemployment in his speech. Then
Koesmawati complained about government officials' alleged ploys
to ensure a Golkar victory.
Other PDI rallies in the city were held on Jl. Tanjungsari,
Jl. Kalibutuh and Jl. Karangpilang. Less than 50 people attended
each venue.
Of the 37 PDI branches in East Java, only the Malang, Kediri,
Pasuruan and four other branches held rallies yesterday. The rest
canceled their rallies or had not planned them.
"Our itinerary has changed a lot due to the complicated
situation here lately," the PDI East Java branch's campaign
manager, Bambang Irianto, said without elaborating.
Jakarta had a break yesterday from the deafening, sometimes
fatal rallies, with only a few small PDI convoys on the streets.
About 1,000 people joined an indoor rally at Yos Sudarso
sports hall in North Jakarta which featured PDI secretary-general
Buttu Hutapea.
In his one-hour spirited speech, Buttu accused PDI activists
loyal to the party's deposed leader, Megawati Soekarnoputri, of
desertion for supporting an alliance with the Moslem-based United
Development Party (PPP).
"They are overacting. They want PDI to remain a small party by
undermining us," Buttu said.
He said the leadership of the government-sanctioned PDI had
offered Megawati supporters a chance to settle the internal
conflict after the May 29 election.
"Forget the differences for the sake of PDI's victory.
Everybody will belittle the party if it loses votes," Buttu said.
In Bogor, West Java, at least 500 Megawati loyalists, in white
T-shirts carrying their leader's picture, stole the show with a
motorcade across the town. They undressed about 50 supporters of
the rival PDI faction and forced them to wear white T-shirts.
Those who refused were beaten.
Megawati supporters also rallied in Yogyakarta. After paying
homage Thursday to former sultan, the late Hamengku Buwono IX, at
the Imogiri royal cemetery, they mingled with the crowd yesterday
at a rival PDI rally in Ngampilan.
The PDI did nothing in Bandung yesterday, but PDI campaigner
Sugeng Saryadi promised that the party's top brass, including
chairman Soerjadi, would pound the town on the final day of
campaigning, next Friday. (05/24/38/nur/ahy/amd)