LDP denies pledge to aid Golkar scheme
JAKARTA (JP): Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has denied providing a commitment of financial assistance to the Golkar Party, Japan's envoy to Indonesia Takao Kawakami said on Thursday.
"It does not exist," Antara quoted him as saying after a signing ceremony for Japanese grants to Indonesia. "Any kind of assistance offered according to the scheme in Japan is usually on a government-to-government basis."
Kawakami was responding to reports LDP made contributions to Indonesian farmers through the ruling Golkar.
Golkar deputy Abdul Gafur said during a visit to Tokyo that LDP was prepared to provide financial assistance to Golkar's program to help farmers. Another Golkar executive said the visit was at the invitation of LDP to discuss long-term cooperation in empowering poor Indonesian farmers.
Abdul said the aid would be channeled after the June 7 polls to avoid a public outcry.
The agency quoted Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung as earlier confirming the aid. "But if the cooperation is considered to have violated the law, we won't push it."
The new law on political parties bans them from receiving foreign aid.
Any assistance, Kawakami said, was usually provided through the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas).
Asked about Japanese laws on financial assistance to political parties, Kawakami said: "I have to be careful on this, so I will check it."
Japan's grant assistance on Thursday totaled 2.871 billion (US$24 million) as its final package in the fiscal year 1998/1999. It includes 1.182 billion for repairs to two units of the Gresik steam power plant in Central Java, the development of science and mathematics teaching for elementary and secondary schools (549 million) and acceleration of neonatal tetanus and measles control (251 million).
Kawakami and the Director General for Foreign Economic Relations Johan S. Syahperi signed the agreement.
Observers are continuing to sound warnings of the likelihood of money politics, particularly by Golkar, still considered the most powerful and best known party along with the United Development Party (PPP) and Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).
Valina Singka Subekti, director of the political laboratory of the University of Indonesia, said: "Various studies showed that rural residents only know about the three aforementioned parties... and many said they would vote for Golkar because it is the most popular and it spends lots of money ...
"This is dangerous because large numbers of the country's eligible voters are at the grassroots, rural area level."
Clash
In Semarang, two people were injured in a clash when the location of a district branch of the National Awakening Party (PKB) was attacked on Wednesday by about 30 people wearing uniforms of the PPP. With the help of about 50 people who were not in uniform, the crowd rushed the stage and damaged the sound system and hundreds of tables and chairs.
The chairman of Jepara's PKB branch, Hayyatun Alhafid, said the party "would not seek revenge" but a police report was filed.
Meanwhile, the deputy chairman of PKB's Central Java branch, Ali Hanan Fatah, charged that Golkar frequently violated new rules on the neutrality of civil servants and stipulations against money politics.
Civil servants from the village to regency level used state facilities, he said, citing Golkar functions in Banjarnegara, Wonosobo, Kendal and Pati. He alleged supporters were each paid Rp 15,000 and the government's red license plate on a vehicle owned by the district head was changed to a regular black plate. Another Rp 2,500 was paid to residents willing to put up party flags, he claimed.
Central Java police chief Maj. Gen. Nurfaizi said 20,000 police officers were assigned for the campaign period. He urged parties to curb their supporters. The provincial Golkar branch has also reported the vandalism of dozens of its party banners and flags. (har/edt/anr)