Mega, Akbar start subtle mudslinging in campaign

Wahyoe Boediwardhana and Fabiola Desy Unandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Gianyar/Jakarta

Megawati Soekarnoputri and her presidential challengers strived to make the most of their "comparative advantages" in their election campaign debuts on Friday. Campaigners from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) highlighted efforts to overcome terrorism on the resort island, which is still reeling from the bomb blasts of October 2002.

Ida Bagus Putu Wesnawa who heads the provincial branch of the party told perhaps a hundred thousand supporters in Astina Square in the hill town of Gianyar that "since Ibu Mega (President Megawati Soekarnoputri) became president there have been many achievements," he said without citing any of them.

He also said her administration was working to reduce problems inherited from the New Order regime, such as the corrupt bureaucracy, security problems and the threat of disintegration.

Megawati herself said she refused to brag about the successes of her administration and stressed instead her confidence in the character of the Balinese who would ensure safety and stability during the election campaign.

She also said she opted to campaign in Bali, a party stronghold, to counter the perception that the party was losing support in the rest of Indonesia because of a disappointing performance since she became President. "I'd be ashamed to be the leader of PDI-P if we get less votes (than in 1999). Do you want to shame me?" she cried out, to a thundering "no".

"We'll prove people wrong," she added. In the 1999 polls PDI-P won seven out of nine seats from Bali.

Just over 10 kilometers east of Gianyar, Megawati's sister Sukmawati Soekarnoputri also campaigned from the provincial home of the mother of their father, first president Sukarno. Drawing on the disillusion with PDI-P's promise to always side with "the little people," Sukmawati, leader of the Marhaenisme Indonesian National Party (PNI Marhaenisme), urged some 5,000 supporters in Semarapura, Klungkung regency, to be true to the spirit of Marhaenisme. It is the name of the doctrine coined by Sukarno after he befriended a hard-working farmer named Marhaen, which focuses state policies on the poor and the self-reliant.

In Malang, East Java, leader of the Golkar Party Akbar Tandjung, seized upon Megawati's "string of failures".

"The current administration is worse than 10 years ago when Golkar was in power; this government has never been serious about addressing so many crucial issues, such as Aceh," the legislature Speaker told some 10,000 supporters.

Accompanied by noted singers such as Titiek Puspa, Tandjung also said that none of the promises put forth by PDI-P had been fulfilled.

"It is obvious that corruption, collusion and nepotism (KKN) remain rampant, and law enforcement needs to be improved," he said.

Tandjung is seen by many has having benefited greatly from weak law enforcement as last month he was declared free of all charges by the Supreme Court in a case where the lower courts found him guilty of embezzling Rp 40 billion from the state coffers.

Golkar was toppled from power in 1999, after being accused of creating the country's major "diseases" such as KKN.

Separately Amien Rais, leader of the National Mandate Party (PAN), chose a much more subdued, people-oriented campaign by visiting traditional markets in Semarang, Central Java, his first stop on his tour around the province.

He talked to the vendors and bought vegetables, while asking people's views on the campaign.

Earlier on Thursday, the campaign was marred by incidents in Tabanan, some 15 kilometers west of Denpasar.

An unidentified group of people ripped down several flags belonging to the PNI Marhaenisme party in the village of Wanasara. Several others hurled stones at the homes of Putu Pasek Widanta and Pan Dewi, both members of the Freedom Bull National Party (PNBK), the house of I Ketut Sueka of the Freedom Party (Partai Merdeka) and that of I Putu Gunawan of Golkar. Election supervisors said the incidents are under investigation.