Megawati presidential loss talk of the town nationwide
JAKARTA (JP): Mixed reactions were the prevailing mood in different cities nationwide on Thursday following Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) leader Megawati Soekarnoputri's presidential election defeat to Muslim leader Abdurrahman Wahid a day earlier.
In Makassar, South Sulawesi, hundreds of students from various universities flocked the city's streets on Thursday in support of newly-elected President Abdurrahman Wahid.
The students, who came from Makassar State University, the Indonesian Muslim University and Muhammadiyah University, called on the new president to continue with the reform agenda.
Some students of Makassar State University even voiced their wish for a Free Sulawesi country, but they were immediately countered by the majority of the students.
"The united Republic of Indonesia is final. What we need now is to build this country and continue with reforms. That is why we push for Abdurrahman not to abandon the student's fight," Karim, a coordinator of the Indonesian Muslim Students Movement (PMII), said.
Some of the university students managed to force their way to get into the newsroom of the local RRI radio station last night to announce their demand for a new state: Free Sulawesi.
Protesters marched their way to the Council building and eventually dispersed peacefully.
However, soon after the announcement of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) leader Megawati Soekarnoputri's victory in the vice presidential election, dozens of students from the Indonesian Muslim University, the State Alauddin Institute of Islamic Studies, and activists of the South Sulawesi chapter of the Muslim Students Association (HMI), blockaded the city's main streets Jl. Urip Sumohardjo, Jl. Sultan Alauddin and Jl. Boto Lemtangan with old tires and wood as a sign of protest against Megawati.
Waving flags of the Eastern Indonesian Country, the students searched passersby and checked whether they were Muslim or not. Reports said a student of Hasanuddin University, who was believed to be non Muslim, was assaulted by a group of angry students.
The group asserted that "if they were not Muslim, they must be Megawati's followers". As of 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, security officers had yet to arrive at the spot of the incident.
Peace and order, however, were observed in Semarang, Central Java on Thursday, as Megawati supporters complied with her instruction the day before that party members and supporters should accept whatever the result of the presidential election was.
"Abdurrahman Wahid's presidential election victory is indeed a manifestation of democracy in Indonesia," Ismoyo, chairman of PDI Perjuangan's Semarang branch, said as quoted by Antara.
"Party supporters should not commit any violence as it would only ruin the image of the party and the party's chairwoman as well."
A similar response was conveyed by PDI Perjuangan supporters in Surabaya, East Java, who decided to stay home and not to continue with their earlier planned rallies.
"Last night (Wednesday evening), I was informed by the party's East Java chairman Sutjipto that Ibu Megawati instructed us not to commit any violence," secretary of PDI Perjuangan East Java chapter Y.A. Widodo said on Thursday.
No street rallies or convoys of vehicles were on the city's streets on Thursday, Antara reported. (27/edt/imn)