Golkar 'the common enemy' to beat lawfully in polls

JAKARTA (JP): Ruling party Golkar will be the common enemy of parties seeking political changes in the country, but it must be defeated through fair play, politician Rudini said on Tuesday.

Rudini, a patron of the MKGR Party, said in a seminar on elections jointly organized by Antara news agency, Republika daily and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Foundation that there have been growing fears that Golkar would resort to using money in its bid to maintain the status quo.

"Basically every party is open to the use of money politics, but Golkar has undoubtedly become the center of public suspicion because it is the best prepared and financially the strongest contender," said Rudini, who also chairs the General Election Commission (KPU).

Golkar, formerly an alliance of civil servants and the Armed Forces, has at least Rp 17 billion (US$1.9 million) in its war chest and is expected to have a head start in the June 7 elections.

Rudini was commenting on the issue of money politics allegedly practiced by Golkar. A number of party figures who attended the seminar said Golkar had started using money to woo potential voters.

Being a minister of home affairs between 1988 and 1993, Rudini admitted that the use of money to secure the lion's share of votes was an old practice.

Golkar emerged with a clear majority in each of the last six polls held under the fallen Soeharto's New Order regime amid complaints of cheating and election rigging.

Rudini suggested that opposition to Golkar should unite from the early stages of the election campaign to prevent the ruling party clinging to power.

"If we want Golkar to lose, we have to improve ourselves. Each of us must develop tolerance to differences on our way to consensus," Rudini said.

He warned new parties against excessive spending, saying that in the reform era money could not buy votes.

Habib of the Abul Yatama Party was one of those party representatives who raised concerns over Golkar's alleged money politics.

"They have donated to foundations or organizers of places of worship in order to buy the people's votes. Golkar is very skillful in doing so," Habib said.

Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung was upset by the growing animosity toward his party, as many people suspect that the party would justify all means of retaining the lion's share of votes in the upcoming polls.

"I cannot understand why many people consider that a Golkar victory will mean a failure by the country to hold a just and fair general election. I don't accept such logic," Akbar, who is Minister/State Secretary, said at Merdeka Palace.

He said elections would run justly and fairly if all contestants observe the rules of the game.

"Golkar has from the beginning been committed to competing in democratic, just and fair way and accepting a direct, free and confidential ballot under the eyes of either formal or informal monitoring bodies," Akbar said.

He said another win for Golkar would indicate public trust in it, instead of election rigging.

"We, too, are ready to accept the bad news if the people choose parties other than Golkar, We will even acknowledge a new government that excludes Golkar," he said.

In Central Java hostility and violence continued to tarnish the election proceedings. Chief of the local People's Democratic Party (PRD) Bambang Purnomo said on Tuesday a group of unidentified people beat him up on Sunday evening in the Simpang Lima area in downtown Semarang.

An office and a car belonging to the United Development Party (PPP) were set on fire in Pekalongan on Monday. At about the same time 200 more Golkar banners were pulled down in Semarang and Rembang. (edt/har/prb/amd)