KNPI pledges to guard election

KNPI pledges to guard election

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian youths vowed yesterday to help the
Armed Forces maintain order during the May 29 general election
and the presidential election in March next year.

Leaders of the National Committee of Indonesian Youths (KNPI),
an umbrella for 39 youth groups, told Armed Forces (ABRI)
Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung they would support legal actions
undertaken by the military to quell any attempts to disturb the
polls and the general assembly of the People's Consultative
Assembly.

"The Armed Forces with its defense and sociopolitical roles is
all that people can rely on to make the election and the general
assembly a success," the youths said in a statement delivered by
representative Ali Masykur Musa.

The promise was made at a ceremony marking the deployment of
KNPI's 15,000-strong backup election security forces at Senayan's
eastern parking lot.

Also present were State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports
Hayono Isman, Armed Forces Chief of Sociopolitical Affairs Let.
Gen. Syarwan Hamid, Jakarta Governor Surjadi Soedirdja, Jakarta
military commander Maj. Gen. Sutiyoso and President Soeharto's
son Bambang Trihatmodjo, who is chairman of an association
grouping the children of Armed Forces' veterans.

The chairman of the politically well-connected KNPI, Maulana
Isman, failed to turn up due to ill health. He is the younger
brother of Minister Hayono Isman.

The pledge came amid growing calls from unrecognized groups to
boycott the May 29 poll.

The Indonesian Democratic Union Party, led by politician Sri
Bintang Pamungkas, has announced a program to boycott the
election. Anonymous groups also circulated leaflets in several
towns recently urging people not to exercise their right to vote.

Surveys in Malang, East Java and Yogyakarta found that the
majority of students responding to a questionnaire said they
would abstain from voting.

President Soeharto told youths and students recently to uphold
their responsibility to political stability through participation
in the election.

Soeharto has also repeatedly warned of harsh penalties against
people who try to persuade others not to vote or attempt to
obstruct them from visiting polling booths.

Bintang was the first to be charged with encouraging people to
boycott the election when he was arrested March 5. The Attorney
General's Office extended his detention period last week.

The United Development Party (PPP), the dominant Golkar and
the Indonesian Democratic Party will contest the May election.

The KNPI also urged the election contestants to refrain from
unethical practices to gain support.

"Each political organization must uphold ethics which derive
from the Pancasila state ideology and the 1945 Constitution," it
said in the statement. "They also have to respect the principles
of a direct, general and confidential election."

The KNPI also commented on brawls and riots pitting Golkar and
PPP supporters in the Central Java towns of Pekalongan, Rembang,
Banjarnegara, Temanggung and Wonosobo.

Security authorities have sought legal proceedings against
preacher Afifudin Musytari Al Hafidz on a charge of inciting the
Pekalongan rioters. The Central Java military command has banned
all gatherings ahead of the May election.

Gen. Feisal hailed the KNPI's pledge, stating that the Armed
Forces was nothing without the help of the people.

"Everybody has to take part in maintaining national stability,
including youths and students, so that the boiling political
temperature ahead of the election remains under control," he
said. (amd)