Jakartans relieved by safe campaign

JAKARTA (JP): Jakartans breathed a sigh of relief on Wednesday as the first week of campaigning here came to an end with no signs of the violence and unrest that so many people in the capital expected.

With last year's May riots fresh in their minds, plus the spate of unrest which has hit other parts of the country ahead of the election period, many businesses in the capital erected towering iron fences around their buildings.

Such fears have proved groundless. A number of businessmen told The Jakarta Post they were no longer afraid of street rallies staged by supporters of parties contesting the June 7 polls. Their only headache was the traffic jams which resulted from convoys of party supporters.

Aming, the owner of Pelangi Audio electronics in Glodok, West Jakarta, said he reopened his shop on Friday last week, the third day of the campaign.

"I decided to resume business after I saw how things were developing," Aming, whose shop was burned down during last year's riots, said.

He said he still felt anxious when large numbers of party supporters took to the streets in convoys of cars and motorcycles.

The Elections Supervisory Committee announced on Tuesday the campaign was generally secure, despite several skirmishes involving supporters of rival parties.

Anton, the owner of a furniture shop on Jl. Pramuka in East Jakarta, said he read the campaign schedule in the newspaper every day so he would know whether a party with a large number of supporters would be campaigning in the city.

"I informed all my customers that when a large party was (campaigning) in town, deliveries would be made early in the day or after the campaign activities because I don't want to risk being trapped in traffic," he said.

Apart from delivery problems, however, his business is running smoothly during the campaign, he said.

Amidah, a food stall owner in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, and Chandra, the owner of a shop in the Harco Glodok electronic center in West Jakarta, were of the same opinion.

"I hope that we will always have a secure campaign," Chandra said.

Calm

The city was relatively calm on Wednesday, although thousands of supporters of the National Awakening Party (PKB), clad in their green and white T-shirts, took to the streets in buses, cars, trucks and motorcycles.

Compared to Sunday, when tens of thousands of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) supporters flooded the city in an ocean of red, Wednesday's street rallies were subdued.

PKB presidential candidate Abdurrahman Wahid, better known as Gus Dur, and PKB chairman Matori Abdul Djalil addressed thousands of supporters in West Jakarta and East Jakarta, respectively.

While Abdurrahman reiterated his call for former president Soeharto to return his family's alleged wealth, Matori said PKB would form a coalition with parties which opposed B.J. Habibie's presidential bid.

"Like his mentor Soeharto, Habibie is still practicing corruption, collusion and nepotism. Habibie should withdraw," Matori said.

"The replacement of four deputy attorney generals shows that Habibie is trying to cover the (Soeharto) case," he said.

Meanwhile, at least 1,000 supporters of the Indonesian Muslim Party (PUMI) attended an outdoor rally at Pegadungan soccer field in West Jakarta.

The Indonesian Workers Party (PPI) and the All-Indonesian Workers Solidarity Party (PSPSI) held campaign rallies at Cengkareng stadium and Grogol stadium, respectively. Hundreds attended each of the rallies.

Meanwhile, PKB secretary-general Iskandar Muhaimin said his party had held further discussions on an agreement on extra votes with the National Mandate Party (PAN) and PDI Perjuangan.

"We will draw up the details of the agreement in the next few days. But, of course, it is just the three of us and not PPP (the United Development Party) or the Justice Party," Iskandar told The Jakarta Post.

The United Development Party, the Justice Party and the National Mandate Party signed a joint communique to take a united stance against pro-status quo forces, following a similar agreement between PKB, PAN and PDI Perjuangan.

Separately, PAN secretary-general Faisal Basri said an agreement on extra votes had been reached with PKB and now they were discussing the matter with PDI Perjuangan.

"We are to share leftover votes in all 27 provinces to enable one of us to gain extra seats in the House of Representatives," Faisal said. (ind/jun/edt)