Hundreds of people leave PDI campaign
UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi (JP): An indoor election campaign organized by the government-recognized Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) faction was abandoned by hundreds of the party's supporters here yesterday.
The PDI cadres opted out of the gathering, saying they were bored with the discussion and preferred street rallies instead.
A score of journalists and the PDI's local functionaries remained in their seats until the party's deputy chairman Budi Hardjono completed the two-hour dialog.
Local PDI campaigners, Octavianus Polnaya and Achmad Sangaji, accompanied Budi in the party's second rally. Other PDI rallies in the province took place in Pinrang, Bone and Polmas.
Budi, who is running for his third five-year term at the House of Representatives, was not disappointed.
"It's a very common thing, mainly because we are not used to campaigning (in the form of dialog). I saw the same thing happen when I was in East Java recently," Budi said.
He said he did not expect to see a huge turnout on his trip. "For me what's important is a quality campaign," he said.
Tens of buses, vans and motorcycles carrying young PDI supporters broke the silence with noisy street rallies across the city while police stood by.
PDI cadres complained about the absence of a clear campaign schedule. Deputy chairman of the PDI's South Sulawesi branch Erens Pinontoan said his office avoided announcing the itinerary for safety reasons.
"We are afraid of (possible clashes) between (different groups of) PDI supporters," Erens said, referring to the conflict pitting the government-sanctioned PDI against the Megawati Soekarnoputri-led camp.
Meanwhile, the military here is investigating the circulation of leaflets persuading people not to vote for either PDI or the United Development Party (PPP).
Spokesman of the Wirabuana regional military command Lt. Col. Mokhtar Darise said rifts within each of the political organizations had prompted some people to distribute the leaflets.
In Jakarta, the PDI's first campaign dialog was broadcasted by state-owned television station TVRI last night. The dialog presented the chairwoman of the PDI faction at the House of Representatives, Farimah Achmad, with an audience of mostly women.
In Surabaya, the party's mayoralty branch announced yesterday an end to PDI rallies today following Tuesday's clashes pitting its cadres against Megawati supporters, despite the government's security guarantee.
Dimmy Haryanto, chairman of the PDI's East Java branch, said yesterday that the party would instead distribute pamphlets and hoist flags.
"We need time to heal the trauma, build up a new spirit and consolidate ourselves," Dimmy was quoted by Antara as saying, adding that rallies in other East Java towns would go ahead as planned.
Surabaya will host PDI rallies in five different locations Sunday. (30/37/amd)