Golkar declares record win

Mon, 02 Jun 1997, 00:00 WIB | Source: JP

JAKARTA (JP): Golkar proclaimed its victory yesterday in
Thursday's general election, pointing out that the landslide win
further legitimized the New Order government and reflected public
endorsement of the political and electoral systems.

Golkar chairman Harmoko told a news conference that
allegations of widespread vote-rigging had little impact on the
party's record victory.

"The problems occurred in only one or two areas. Set against
the 305,000 polling stations nationwide, the alleged problems at
some stations were understandably normal," Harmoko said.

The United Development Party (PPP), alleging widespread vote-
rigging and intimidation, has demanded that polling in Sampang,
Jember, Gowa, Sidrap, Polmas and many regencies in West Sumatra
be repeated.

In Jember, Moslem leaders supporting the PPP threatened "there
would be unwanted incidents" if the authorities refused their
demands for a revote.

Jember regent Winarno acknowledged there had been cases of
vote-rigging but refused to hold voting again because "there was
no law on which to base such a repetition".

With ballot counting completed in 23 of the 27 provinces
yesterday, Golkar had won 82.39 million, or 74.27 percent, of the
110.93 million votes counted (89 percent of the ballots due to
have been cast by 124.7 million registered voters), the United
Development Party (PPP) had 25.13 million, or 22.66 percent, and
the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) had 3.40 million, or 3.07
percent.

Harmoko, also the minister of information, said the high voter
turnout of almost 90 percent of registered voters proved that
people throughout the country favored continued development in a
peaceful and stable climate.

"The people reject radical, brutal and violent conduct in
continuing development," he said referring to the violence and
rioting in several provinces during the campaign and on election
day.

Generally speaking, he said, Golkar considered that this
year's general election -- the seventh since Indonesia proclaimed
its independence on Aug. 17, 1945 -- had significantly improved
the quality of people's political education and communication.

Dismissed

Harmoko dismissed analysts' claims that the violence in the
weeks leading up to the election, which left more than 260 people
dead and a trail of damage across the country, was caused by
growing dissatisfaction with the government.

The National Elections Institute's secretary, Suryatna
Subrata, announced yesterday that ballot counting was continuing
in Jakarta with ballots cast by Indonesians overseas yet to be
counted.

He said final tallies had yet to be completed in Irian Jaya
and East Timor because of transportation problems.

He said counting in East Java could not be completed because
the National Elections Committee, at the request of the chiefs of
district elections committees, had decided to let people vote
again tomorrow at 121 polling stations in Sampang and Pamekasan
districts on Madura island, off East Java.

Voters rampaged in Sampang and Pamekasan on election day and
last Friday over allegations of vote-rigging.

But Suryatna dismissed the notion that voting would be held
again because of allegations of cheating. He said it was because
security disturbances had stopped voters casting their ballots
peacefully and orderly.

Harmoko also denied allegations that the revote on Madura
island had anything to do with pressure from the Moslem-based
PPP, whose supporters rioted last Thursday and Friday.

PPP and the Independent Election Monitoring Committee have
reported widespread vote-rigging and fraud on election day.

Harmoko said a revote was needed simply because many ballot
boxes had been burned.

"So to complete the vote count it was agreed that balloting
should be rerun," he said, adding that Golkar had also agreed to
voting again in Madura.

Harmoko, who was jubilant about Golkar's landslide win, was
accompanied at the press conference by most of the party's
leaders, including deputy chairwoman Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana and
secretary-general Ary Mardjono.

Charting out Golkar's future tasks, Harmoko said the party was
even more committed and determined to realize the people's wishes
and aspirations for reforms and reformation of the nationhood and
statehood.

"Golkar's victory means a win for development," he said.

He defined development as a gradual process of change and
reform for the public's welfare.

"That is why I should state that Golkar's win is a victory for
the course of change and reform according to the pace as called
for by the democratic system based on the state ideology
Pancasila", he said.

But Harmoko cautioned Golkar's rank and file against
inordinate rejoicing and complacency over the record victory,
reminding them that the win meant the party had a bigger
responsibility to strive for the aspirations of the people and
continue national development. (aan/nur)