Don't be easily provoked, Golkar Party members told

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Golkar Party co-chairman Agung Laksono told party members on Monday not to be provoked by the ongoing campaign against rotten politicians and by protests against chairman Akbar Tandjung, calling them maneuvers designed to destroy the party.

"Don't get provoked by these two issues," Agung told some 3,000 party faithful from Golkar's Jakarta chapter at the Senayan Indoor Stadium.

Akbar, who was also invited to the event, did not attend.

Several non-governmental organizations have embarked on a nationwide campaign against unscrupulous politicians. While the NGOs have refrained from mentioning any names, Golkar has taken much of the heat. Bastion of the New Order regime, it has been associated with corruption, collusion and nepotism.

Former party leaders and their cronies have been questioned for corruption allegations. Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung was sentenced to three years' jail for his role in a Rp 40 billion (US$4.8 million) financial scandal, involving the National Logistics Agency (Bulog). He remains free pending an appeal to the Supreme Court.

Supreme Court judges in charge of deliberating Akbar's appeal have failed to reach an agreement in their first deliberations last Thursday and agreed to meet again this Wednesday.

Anti-corruption activists have staged protests in front of the Supreme Court building, urging the judges to send Akbar to jail.

Last week a number of Akbar supporters held a protest in front of the Supreme Court, raising fears of possible clash with anti- Akbar protesters.

In his speech, Agung also urged Golkar members to mark both party logos and the names of legislative candidates of their choice.

"Some have suggested that the people can just mark party logos. That is not wise," he said.

Under current electoral laws, ballot papers are valid if voters mark both party logos and the names of legislative candidates or just the logos of political parties. Should they only mark the names of political candidates, the ballot papers will be declared invalid.

Meanwhile, presidential hopeful Lt. Gen. (ret) Prabowo Subianto told the crowd the country was in need of strong, effective, and clean government. He also called for an intensified campaign to uproot corruption.

"Corruption is very rampant. We must change this situation," said Prabowo, one of Golkar's seven possible presidential candidates.