Golkar pledges orderly campaigns

Wed, 07 May 1997, 00:00 WIB | Source: JP

JAKARTA (JP): Golkar, which the government has reprimanded for
rowdy convoys, pledged yesterday to win public sympathy by
campaigning orderly.

Golkar Chairman Harmoko said Golkar, which has been in power
since 1971, would depend on indoor rallies with limited audiences
rather than massive street rallies.

"Discussions in indoor rallies allow Golkar to communicate its
programs that aim to improve people's welfare," Harmoko told a
press conference at the party's headquarters.

Golkar, the United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian
Democratic Party (PDI) were reprimanded by the Election
Supervision Committee chief, Singgih, Monday for breaching rules
in the first week of campaigning.

Singgih said the most common violations, which all three
parties had committed, were street convoys and the removal of
rival party flags.

Harmoko, the information minister who has firm control on
local media, said: "Golkar has observed that the public prefers
orderly indoor discussions to street shows of force."

Despite the Election Supervision Committee's reproach and
Harmoko's pledge, thousands of Golkar supporters roamed the
streets in convoy here yesterday.

Their motorcades caused a traffic gridlock around Jl. Panjang,
West Jakarta. Thousands of supporters, yelling slogans and waving
banners, also poured into the streets in Rawamangun, East
Jakarta. They ran red lights, forcing motorists to give way to
them.

In Yogyakarta, government officials confirmed yesterday that a
member of Golkar's Cakra security force had died Monday after
being attacked by strangers.

Death

Abu, 46, died in hospital shortly after the attack, which is
believed to be linked to Cakra's April 30 attack on two PPP
offices in Yogyakarta.

PPP lawyer Herman Abdurrachman said yesterday that it would be
"premature" to suspect a connection between the attack on the
party offices and Abu's death.

He said he was sure that no PPP activists were involved in
Abu's death, which he blamed on "irresponsible people" wanting to
create chaos.

Yogyakarta Sultan Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X appealed for
calm yesterday and reminded the three parties that campaigning
was not war but a way to exercise democracy.

The sultan said the murder should be considered a criminal
case to be handled by police.

Harmoko said that supporters of the three parties should
campaign cool-headedly and listen to party policies.

"Golkar members should refrain from being stirred into doing
something that could cause trouble."

The campaign officially began April 27 and will end May 23.
There will be a five-day cooling-off period before election day
on May 29.

Harmoko praised police and the army for securing Golkar's
campaign activities in Jakarta and the provinces.

In the Central Java town of Tegal, Golkar deputy chairwoman
Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana praised Moslem ulemas for helping develop
Golkar.

"Golkar is the way it is now thanks to the ulemas' role," she
told thousands of Golkar supporters at a rally.

Hardiyanti, President Soeharto's eldest daughter, also called
Tutut, said that Golkar would seek to abolish school fees for
elementary and senior high school students.

"One of Golkar's concrete programs is to abolish school fees
so that every citizen has access to education," she was quoted by
Antara news agency as saying.

Elementary and high schools in Tegal were closed early
yesterday because teachers and students went to Golkar's campaign
grounds. (pan/23)