Golkar, PPP luring displaced members of PDI: Megawati
JAKARTA (JP): The ousted chief of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), Megawati Soekarnoputri, accused Golkar and the United Development Party (PPP) yesterday of racing to attract displaced PDI members before the May 29 general election.
She said she had proof that the dominant Golkar and the Moslem-based PPP were trying to woo PDI supporters displaced by a leadership split ravaging the party.
"I have evidence of the two political contestants' campaign to attract PDI members," she said after a ceremony, marking the end of commemorations for the PDI's 24th anniversary, at her home in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta.
"I have received reports from PDI chapters and branches nationwide that Golkar and PPP have persuaded members to vote for them," Megawati said.
She said she had no plan to stop the two political organizations luring her supporters. "Golkar and PPP are free to try to influence PDI members to vote for them. It's up to PDI members to decide," she said.
Megawati was ousted in a government-backed congress in the North Sumatra capital of Medan last June. The congress then elected Soerjadi as PDI's chairman.
Since then, the PDI has been divided into two camps, one supporting Soerjadi and the other supporting Megawati. But many PDI supporters were left confused and detached by the rift.
Megawati has repeatedly said the congress was illegal and that she remains the lawful PDI leader.
PDI was born in 1973 out of a merger of five former nationalist and Christian political parties -- the Indonesian Nationalist Party, the Murba Party, the Independent Vanguard Party, the Indonesian Catholic Party and the Christian Party.
On her loyalists' support, Megawati said they wanted her to regain leadership of the PDI.
"My supporters want the government to reinstate my political rights as the PDI leader," she said.
Her deputies Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno, I Gusti Ngurah Sara and Mangara Siahaan, secretary-general Alexander Litaay, deputy secretary-general Haryanto Taslam and legislators M. Taufiq Kiemas, Tarto Sudiro, Sukowaluyo Mintorahardjo, S.G.B. Tampubolon, S. Djatikoesoemo and Sutjipto attended the ceremony.
Several chairmen of PDI chapters and branches and about 100 Megawati supporters were also on hand.
Megawati said her faction's political stand on the May 29 election would be announced soon.
But she questioned the meaning of the general election.
"For me and my supporters, our participation in the general election is only to fulfill our duty as citizens, namely to cast our votes," she said.
"But what about our rights to be elected in the elections?" she asked.
Observer
Several people have alleged that the preliminary stages of the general election have been marred by cheating, especially by the dominant Golkar. Many have suggested that independent observers should follow the poll.
A proponent of this idea is legal expert Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara, who is also chairman of the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy. He said in a discussion here yesterday that observers would help the election committees monitor and identify complaints during the election.
"Local observers can effectively identify the problems and forward the results to the election committees," he said.
Abdul said complaints might include unfairness and violations by the government apparatus regarding the use of party colors and electronic media for campaign exposure.
He said that local observers' credibility and neutrality could help improve the election's quality, while foreign observers could provide comparative views on elections.
Abdul said observers played an important role in informing voters of their rights in elections in neighboring Asian countries, including the Philippines and Bangladesh.
He said quality general elections were a long-term, on-going goal. (imn/01)