Govt reiterates call to vote
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia concludes its 27-day campaigning period today with the government reiterating its call to people not to abstain from voting on May 29.
Secretary-general of the General Elections Institute Suryatna Subrata told a press conference at the agency's office in Central Jakarta that people "must use their political rights and vote".
Hours later, ousted chief of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) Megawati Soekarnoputri declared her intention to return her registration form and abstain from voting.
"I, Megawati Soekarnoputri, in my capacity as an individual, have decided not to use my political right to vote on May 29," she said in a statement lasting 15 minutes at her home in Kebagusan, Pasar Minggu subdistrict.
"Voting is a citizen's individual right and people must exercise this right in accordance with their own conscience."
Abstaining from voting is legal under Indonesian electoral law, but it is an offense to encourage others not to vote.
"I am calling on the nation to listen to your conscience when the time comes for you to exercise your political rights on the election day," said Megawati, who retains a large following despite being toppled from the party's helm at a rebel congress last year. The congress reinstated former chairman Soerjadi.
More than 124 million eligible voters are expected to go to the polls next week to elect 425 members of the House of Representatives (DPR).
Suryatna said people help ensure that the country's development programs continue through their participation in the electoral process.
He instructed polling witnesses from the three election parties -- Golkar, the United Development Party (PPP) and PDI -- to do their job well and immediately report any violations to the institute.
Suryatna spoke after chairing a meeting evaluating the past week of sometimes violent campaigning. The authorities reported 126 fatalities in traffic accidents during rallies.
Supporters
Megawati insisted she remained the lawful PDI chief, termed Soerjadi's leadership unconstitutional and vowed to continue challenging him in court. Most of her lawsuits filed across the country are still in appeal courts.
Many of her supporters pledged to stand behind her.
"I think our supporters have the same understanding...that they will exercise their rights not to vote for the government-backed but unconstitutional PDI," said Mangara Siahaan, a former film star who was named a deputy chairman by Megawati.
PDI legislator Marcel Beding also said he would not vote.
In a related development, 10,000 Megawati supporters from Yogyakarta and several Central Java cities staged a brief Javanese rite at the Parangkusumo Beach in Bantul in support of Megawati. They floated PDI flags, rose and jasmine petals and other offerings out to sea, concluding the act with a prayer.
"We'll still wait for Megawati's final instruction before we make our decision regarding the general election," said Suprapti, a 60-year-old loyalist.
Megawati's statement quashed speculation that she would give a formal blessing to her thousands of supporters on forming an alliance with the PPP. Analysts have cited the growing ranks of people brandishing her picture at PPP rallies.
PPP leader Djufrie Asmoredjo said yesterday that his party "won't be affected by Megawati's stance..much less become worried...because we have our own reliable supporters".
Thousands of Soerjadi's supporters attended a PDI campaign in Banjarnegara, Central Java, yesterday.
"Alhamdulillah (praise Allah), our branch remains solid and unaffected by the PDI's internal dispute," Bambang Sunaryo, chairman of the Board of Advisors of the PDI's Central Java chapter, told The Jakarta Post.
He claimed that many PDI supporters who were believed to have joined Megawati's ranks had now declared their allegiance to Soerjadi. (imn/amd/23/wah)