Harmoko ends 'tour of nation' in South Sulawesi

JAKARTA (JP): Golkar chairman Harmoko yesterday completed his two-year tour of the nation to meet cadres of the ruling political group, an activity which his political opponents say smacks of electioneering.

Antara reported that coinciding with the end of the "meetings with cadres" in Polmas, South Sulawesi, Harmoko issued a series of instructions to all Golkar members in the country, calling on them to ensure another resounding victory for the organization in next year's general election.

Harmoko insisted that his tour of the nation these last two years was an attempt to meet face to face with Golkar's grassroots supporters and to listen to their complaints and aspirations.

"Meeting with cadres is not part of an election campaign," he said in answer to critics from the two minority parties. "Leaders of every political organization have the right to meet with their cadres," he was quoted as saying at the meeting in Polmas, attended by thousands of Golkar members and supporters.

"Such meetings, for Golkar, is a means of political communication and a tool of political education which is grounded on our nationalist vision," he said.

The United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) have cried foul over Harmoko's highly publicized meetings with cadres.

They said the banners, posters and the yellow Golkar flags put out at every street corner in towns and villages he visited amounted to electioneering in contravention of the electoral law which only permits campaigning a month a head of the polls.

The two parties have also complained at the barrage of coverage by the state-owned TVRI station of Harmoko's meeting with cadres these past two years. Harmoko in his capacity as Minister of Information controls TVRI.

Harmoko took over the Golkar helm in October 1994, becoming the first civilian to chair the political group that was founded in 1964 with the help of the Army. Upon his election, he vowed to win the 1997 general election with a bigger landslide than Golkar captured in 1992, when it polled 68 percent of the votes.

Since November 1994 he has traveled to 305 cities and towns in all 27 provinces to meet with cadres, according to Antara. The visits were fitted in around his activities as a cabinet minister.

Harmoko, a former journalist and founder of the Pos Kota daily newspaper in Jakarta, often displayed his oratory skill during the meetings, coming up with jokes and funny expressions that went down well with the crowd, who were mostly rural folk.

Yesterday was no exception. "The first meeting with cadres was held in Purwakarta. Purwa means primary. The last meeting is held here in Polmas. In Javanese, Pol-Mas means, All Done, Big Brother", he jested.

In Polmas, Harmoko was accompanied by Golkar Secretary General Ary Mardjono, and some members of the central executive board including Warno Hardjo, Agung Laksono, Theo Sambuaga and Tantyo A.P.Sudharmono.

At the end of his speech, Harmoko issued 11 points of instruction addressed to all Golkar members in the country, including calling on all members to take part in the 1997 general election and ensure a victory that would hand Golkar a controlling majority in the House of Representatives.

A Golkar victory in the 1997 election will guarantee continuity in national development, continuity in national leadership and it will strengthen the unity and cohesion of the nation, he added. (emb)