Golkar determined to increase its dominance in House

JAKARTA (JP): The ruling political organization, Golkar, is determined to increase its majority in the House of Representatives in next year's election.

Golkar officials vowed to make every effort to achieve this goal at a Golkar leadership meeting in South Jakarta yesterday.

"We are determined to win more votes than we did in the 1992 election," said Golkar chief Harmoko.

The three sanctioned political organizations, Golkar, the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), and the United Development Party (PPP) will vie for 425 of the 500 seats in the House of Representatives.

The remaining 75 seats are reserved for the Armed Forces.

The Armed forces play a dominant political role but under Indonesian law its members can not vote.

Golkar has won every election since 1971. In the 1992 Golkar won 282 seats, 17 less than in 1987.

The Moslem-oriented PPP currently has 62 seats and the PDI 56 seats.

Harmoko declined to target a specific number of seats. All Golkar leaders should work hard to improve the party's showing next year, he said.

Golkar's Research and Development Department chief, Burhan Magenda, predicted Golkar would win a maximum of 71 percent of the vote next year. Golkar won 68 percent of the vote in 1992.

"Remember that the other two contestants (PPP and PDI) are also toiling to improve their performance," Burhan told reporters.

"Our minimum aim is to maintain our 68 percent majority in the House," he said.

Golkar deputy chairperson Siti Hardijanti Rukmana, President Soeharto's eldest daughter, also declined to give a specific target.

"Golkar is set to win as many votes as possible. What counts is maintaining our majority in the House," she said.

Harmoko rejected a proposal for Golkar to establish a new position, acting chairman, to takeover his day-to-day activities.

"The position is not mentioned in Golkar statutes. The current structure be maintained until 1998," he said.

Armed Forces Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung called for Golkar members and the public to be tolerant of different opinions.

He warned that the inability to appreciate difference can lead to political violence.

"Both the government and the Armed Forces respect different ideas as long as their expression does not offend Indonesian values," he said.

Golkar plays a key role in maintaining the unity of Indonesia, he said.

Feisal called on the public to be wary of efforts by certain interest groups to disrupt next year's election.

"The recent spate of incidents have followed the same pattern and have had similar targets. They may be aimed at disrupting the general election," he said. (imn)