Golkar raises antipoverty issue

JAKARTA (JP): The leaders of the ruling political grouping Golkar spent the third day of the campaign yesterday hammering home poverty alleviation messages.

Chairman Harmoko and his colleagues, including State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja and State Minister/Cabinet Secretary Saadillah Mursjid, separately met thousands of supporters and told them that Indonesia's developmental success was Golkar's.

In Palangka Raya, the capital of Central Kalimantan, Harmoko told supporters that Golkar would keep working to eradicate poverty.

"Golkar is committed to improving the quality of life of the poor. This commitment cannot be compromised," he said as quoted by Antara. He promised employment opportunities in the industrial, services, trade and agricultural sectors.

Ending his campaign speech, Harmoko expressed optimism that the party would obtain 70.3 percent of the vote in the province.

In the 1992 general election, Golkar won 61 percent of the vote in the province, 7 percent lower than Golkar's average votes in the 27 provinces.

Harmoko also reiterated Golkar's commitment to alleviate poverty in his televised campaign on state-owned television station TVRI last night.

In Tangkiling, 30 kilometers west of Palangka Raya, Sarwono told supporters that voting for Golkar would guarantee sustainable economic development in the country.

"With Golkar, we can also expect the state ideology Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution to be well maintained," said Sarwono, a former secretary-general of Golkar.

Saadillah said: "We give you evidence, not just promises," he said in his 15-minute speech.

Separately, senior Golkar official Oetojo Oesman said many Indonesian farmers and fishermen still lived in poverty.

"Many of our farmers and fishermen are still living in a dire situation. Golkar will strive for the betterment of their living conditions," he told a gathering of 10,000 Golkar supporters at the Gawalise sports stadium in Palu, Southeast Sulawesi, yesterday.

Oetojo said the grouping was also working to combat urban poverty.

"Many big city residents are still living below the poverty line because they failed to keep up with the rapid economic development in the metropolis," he said.

Later in the day, Harmoko flew to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan and told supporters that Golkar would work to "improve people's faith and awareness of God".

"A faithful civil servant, for instance, won't corrupt," he said. (imn/swe)