In Surakarta, colors have political meaning

SURAKARTA (JP): The United Development Party (PPP) and the Surakarta (Solo) mayoralty are locking horns over what color things in public places should be painted.

Local PPP officials have vowed to launch a legal battle and not bow to the government's pressure to paint trees and public facilities yellow, the color of their rival party -- Golkar.

Local PPP chief M. Sangidu said Saturday that painting trees, sidewalks, fences, and electric poles yellow would amount to them having to swallow their pride.

"We are ready to go to court even though we know the court will decide in favor of the government," Sangidu told The Jakarta Post.

In a statement made in local newspapers, Surakarta mayor Imam Sutopo told local PPP leaders last week that they should repaint everything they painted white, a supposedly neutral color, or face legal consequences.

"Choosing the color of public facilities is the government's prerogative," said the mayor. "Besides, the PPP activists did not ask for permission before they painted over the yellow."

The dispute began when dozens of PPP activists repainted yellow objects with white in the run-up to the May 29 election.

The government-sponsored "yellownization" scheme in Central Java has come under fire from Golkar's rival politicians --- the PPP and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) -- as well as the public.

Central Java governor Soewardi once denied accusations that the surge of yellownization had political overtones, claiming that the government was only making prominent the province's favorite color.

Karmani, chairman of the Central Java PPP chapter, said he supported covering up the yellow paint.

The colorful war has come to the attention of a member of the National Commission on Human Rights, Muladi, who called on the disputing parties to keep their heads on.

"Remember, the political climate is heating up," he said.

Muladi said Surakarta's PPP activists should have followed constitutional procedures before whitewashing Golkar's color and consulted the local legislative council.

"What's in a color? Common people nowadays are smart. I think they will look at what a political organization has to offer in their election campaigns," said Muladi. (har/pan)