Megawati's dream team woos Jakartans

Megawati's dream team woos Jakartans

Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta

On Friday the campaign schedule of all presidential and vice
presidential candidates placed them outside Jakarta while the
campaign team of the incumbent president Megawati Soekarnoputri
was scheduled the whole day in the capital's five municipalities.

The team of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-
P) seemed to be making the most of the opportunity, and managed
to address packed indoor sport stadiums.

In East Jakarta, around 5,000 people, mostly sporting the
party colors with red T-shirts, listened to executives of PDI-P,
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), and the Prosperous Peace Party (PDS). NU is
led by its current chairman Hasyim Muzadi, Megawati's running
mate, who is non-active as NU leader during the campaign.

The campaigners expressed optimism that the pair would get
over 50 percent of some 150 million votes in the country's first
direct presidential poll on July 5.

"With your support, Megawati-Hasyim will emerge as the winners
in the election and there will then be no runoff," said Achmad
Zein Saidy of NU, referring to the expected runoff in September.

Other campaigners included PDI-P's secretary-general
Soetjipto, PDI-P councillor Muhammd Nakoem, chairman of the PDS'
Jakarta chapter Bens Sitompul.

Soetjipto praised Megawati's success in her three-year
administration. He said the Megawati' administration had been
able to lay a strong foundation for the economic recovery.

The campaign featured traditional Betawi dances and the
Chinese lion dance.