Golkar upbeat on victory at polls

JAKARTA (JP): Residents and onlookers jeered and stoned Golkar supporters during their final campaign rallies on Friday in Jakarta and several provinces. Despite the poor reception, party chairman Akbar Tandjung and other Golkar officials expressed confidence of winning the elections.

From a rash of incidents around the country, at least 11 were injured during a Golkar rally in Manado, North Sulawesi, when supporters of other parties pelted Golkar supporters and attacked them with sharp weapons.

The assailants were from the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the United Development Party (PPP), Antara reported.

Riot troops fired warning shots to disperse the crowd.

The injured were rushed to Malalayang and Pancaran Kasih general hospitals, Teling Military Hospital and Sitti Maryam Hospital in Manado and the GMIM Bethesda Tomohon Hospital in Minahasa regency.

In Senen, Central Jakarta, riot troops were forced to fire a barrage of warning shots following the burning of a motorcycle belonging to a Golkar supporter and dozens of flags after Golkar supporters became embroiled in an altercation with residents.

Hundreds of shops in the area immediately closed and traffic was disrupted during a standoff lasting about five hours.

The clash began at about 1 p.m. when residents, including street traders, booed passing Golkar convoys.

"Long live Golkar!" Golkar supporters shouted to residents, who retorted "Long live Mega" in reference to Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Ironically, the dispute broke out as a giant screen atop the nearby Atrium Senen shopping center displayed the image of Megawati, chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).

Golkar supporters on motorcycles then challenged residents and vendors by raising their fists.

Residents retaliated by smashing windows of two minibuses packed with Golkar supporters, causing them to flee in panic as they discarded their yellow T-shirts. Locals made bonfires of the clothes and Golkar flags.

Central Jakarta Police chief Lt. Col. Iman Haryatna said the incident unfurled from a motorcyclist baiting the residents, which led them to set his vehicle on fire. The rider fled.

People also stoned Golkar motorcades passing through Bendungan Hilir and around the Welcome Statue traffic circle in Central Jakarta and Jembatan Besi in West Jakarta.

Despite the warning shots, residents only started to disperse when heavy rain fell and after Jakarta Police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman arrived at the scene at 4 p.m.

The calm was broken later when residents chased a jeep bearing Golkar flags.

The arrival of members of the mobile brigade force restored order, but tension simmered again when dozens of members of the Islamic Defender Front (FPI) appeared, carrying machetes and wearing green turbans.

Campaigning in Sunter, North Jakarta, and Slipi, West Jakarta, Akbar said Golkar would at least do as well as in past elections.

From 1971 to 1997, Golkar won every general election by a landslide.

Previous Golkar rallies at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle ran smoothly along with other parties, including the Indonesian Democratic Union Party (PUDI), the Peace Loving Party (PCD) and the People's Sovereignty Party (PDR).

At the same spot, PDR supporters were seen distributing Rp 20,000 bills and T-shirts to people, including street vendors.

Supporters including dozens of motorcycle taxi drivers yelled "Adi Sasono!" and distributed fliers showing the minister of cooperatives and small enterprises as PDR's presidential candidate. A driver of a bajaj (motorized three-wheeled vehicle) said he was given Rp 40,000 to join the PDR rally.

Akbar stressed on Friday at party headquarters that the nomination of incumbent B.J. Habibie as the party's sole presidential candidate was final despite criticism from within the party.

They warned that Habibie's nomination would discourage voters due to his alleged foot-dragging in the investigation of alleged unscrupulous practices by former president Soeharto.

"Golkar will fight for Habibie's reelection in the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)" in November, Akbar said. Golkar deputy chairman Marzuki Darusman has voiced support for Indonesian Military Commander Gen. Wiranto.

Akbar played down speculation of a split in the party's board of executives. "Once consolidation is achieved, all Golkar members will comply with (Habibie's nomination)."

Evaluating the election campaign which ended on Friday, Akbar said there was a plot to foil a Golkar victory.

"All intimidation during our campaigning was not spontaneous, but engineered," he said, citing provocation of people who pelted Golkar supporters.

He also claimed that Chinese-Indonesians, still traumatized from the devastating riots of May 1998, received threats that they would again be targets of violence if Golkar won. (imn/ind/jun/edt)