Megawati blocked again from meeting supporters
Megawati blocked again from meeting supporters
JAKARTA (JP): Despite strong criticism from all quarters, the East Java administration has again prevented Indonesian Democratic Party Chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri from meeting her supporters.
The authorities have reportedly refused to issue permits for the party's branch office in Bojonegoro regency to hold a June 1 meeting, which Megawati had planned to attend.
The Antara news agency quoted Sutjipto, chairman of the party's East Java provincial branch, as saying on Saturday that the rejection did not come as a surprise to any of the local party leaders.
"We expected the authorities to turn down our request allowing her to attend the gathering," he said.
The latest ban on Megawati from meeting her supporters in East Java is the sixth in about a year. The Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) has strong support in the province, where her father, the late president Sukarno, was born.
At one time or another, Megawati has been barred from attending PDI gatherings in the regencies of Mojokerto, Pasuruan, Probolinggo, Sumenep and Kediri, and the capital Surabaya.
Chief of the Brawijaya regional military command, Maj. Gen. Imam Utomo, recently stated that the authorities would not prevent Megawati from meeting with activists at the regency level provided that all local party activists kept the meetings incident-free.
PDI members in East Java are split into two opposing camps, with one supporting the leadership of her confidante Sutjipto and the other backing her arch rival Latief Pudjosakti, who also has the backing of the government.
The authorities have given Latief tacit permission several times to hold meetings with his supporters. At one point, local officials even attended a meeting chaired by Latief.
Antara also reported that Latief, who was sacked by Megawati for dissension, is already planning to hold another gathering in Kediri soon.
Two political scientists yesterday criticized East Java Governor Basofi Soedirman for his "discriminatory treatment" towards Megawati, asserting that the policy would backfire and tarnish his own name.
"The provincial administration's stance is way out of line," Maswadi Rauf told The Jakarta Post. "The public can't help but blame Basofi and conclude that the authorities have been violating Megawati's rights."
Maswadi and his colleague, Arbi Sanit, both staff lecturers at the University of Indonesia, agreed that the bans only succeeded in smearing the East Java administration and, consequently, Golkar.
"I think Basofi is behind the whole affair," Arbi told the Post. He pointed out that Basofi was governor when Golkar won in Jakarta in the 1992 general elections.
"He probably wants Golkar to achieve the same victory in East Java," he said. "Unfortunately the East Java public is more inclined toward PDI because of the historical ties and influence of Sukarno."
The repeated bannings have created the impression that "the authorities are playing a game with PDI", Maswadi said.
"They seem to have made up all those excuses for not issuing permits for PDI gatherings," he said. "When they are confused enough, the public will eventually blame the East Java administration and Basofi."
"How come Golkar leaders never have problems in requesting permits to hold meetings?" Maswadi said. "Basofi should examine himself and his subordinates. He can't keep washing his hands of the affair."
Maswadi suggested that Basofi and his staff meet Megawati, Sutjipto and Latief to try to solve the conflicts together. "Everybody concerned should have the grace to be flexible in order to reach a satisfactory solution," Maswadi said. (swe/anr)