Electioneering ideas only of benefit to Golkar

JAKARTA (JP): The proposed in-door election campaigns will benefit the ruling Golkar party, which has the most human and financial resources among the three contesting parties, observers say.

In-door electioneering activities were proposed by Golkar chief Harmoko last week in place of the long-practiced street mass rallies, which require tight security precautions.

Political scientists Arbi Sanit, Abdul Hamid Widodo and Riswandha Imawan told The Jakarta Post in separate interviews that the suggested format of campaigning is better than the old one but that the other parties may not be ready.

Arbi, a staff lecturer at the University of Indonesia, said yesterday that the bureaucracy-backed Golkar has "the most funds and human resources," which will enable it to benefit greatly from in-door campaigns.

"Golkar already has the upper-hand over its competitors," he said, referring to the Moslem-based United Development Party (PPP) and the nationalist alliance Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).

Abdul Hamid Widodo of the Diponegoro University in Semarang said PDI and PPP will find it difficult to garner mass support if the government revises the campaigning.

"Golkar has vote-getters who are very skillful in delivering its programs and concepts in limited discussions, such as seminars," Abdul Hamid said in Semarang earlier this week.

Riswandha, a staff lecturer at the Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University, suggested that the government also introduce election campaigning through the mass media, including televised debates.

Golkar chairman Harmoko and several other Golkar officials suggested recently that the format for electioneering, which is usually in the form of rallies and public speeches, be changed to debates among limited groups of people, or in closed rooms.

Moestahid Astari, chairman of Golkar faction in the House of Representatives, said that the proposed format would be more educational. "It will enrich the public's political education," he said.

"Rallies and public speeches don't provide the opportunity for exchanges of details," Arbi said. "Dialogs among a limited number of people, such as groups of intellectuals, students or other pressure groups, would be more effective."

However, the format would require the inclusion of people with higher levels of education only, or those in leading positions in society, he said. "As such, Golkar can be expected to perform better, given its superior human and financial resources," he said.

Hamid expressed a similar opinion, saying that PPP and PDI, in contrast, have traditionally relied more on rallies and public speeches.

"PPP vote-getters are usually trained to attract public sympathy by speaking in rallies, and may not do as well if they have to speak in discussions in closed rooms," Hamid said.

PDI has admittedly been successful in mobilizing and holding rallies for young people, but may not do as well in limited discussions either, he said.

Arbi, however, said that PDI and PPP still have great potentials, that would enable them to compete with Golkar, even if the format for electioneering is changed.

"The two political parties already have roots," Arbi said. "PDI has the support of younger people, workers and farmers, while PPP is still supported by Moslem groups."

The two parties may face both financial constraints and limited human resources, but they are not exactly helpless, he said. "They will be able to compete, as long as competition is held fairly and under similar conditions," he said.

"For instance, the authorities should not hamper the efforts of PPP and PDI to obtain permits to hold gatherings in which they will hold the discussions," he said.

Hamid and Riswandha found a number of advantages in regards to the debates in closed rooms, over rallies and public speeches.

"There will be no room for violence, the way it usually occurs in rallies," Hamid said.

Riswandha said such dialogs may be more effective in helping the parties' officials "absorb" the aspiration of their public, and in checking the possibilities of the mass turning into a mob.

In addition to discussions in closed rooms, the political parties could also campaign through the mass media, he said. "However, many people are already skeptical as to the effectiveness of the latter alternative, given the existing (authorities') control over the press," he said.

Riswandha said televised debates are another viable alternative, as long as they are led by independent moderators such as academics. (swe/har)