Parties order 1,000 spears for campaigning

SEMARANG: An official at the Central Java Provincial Election Supervisory Committee said on Tuesday his office found proof of a party ordering 1,000 spears from a home industry in Wonosari village of Surakarta mayoralty's Jagalan district.

Aidul Fitriciada said the committee would soon lodge the report with the Surakarta Police to follow up the finding with an investigation. The party was not identified.

"The order was made anonymously," he said.

He also said the committee earlier found a political party had also ordered 150 swords and machetes over a week ago from a blacksmith in Ceper village of Klaten regency's Delangu district.

Aidul said the committee got the information from a political party's executive in Surakarta.

"There are indications that all the arms were ordered to be used during the campaigning," he said.

In Tegalgondo district of Klaten regency, Aidul also said that most villagers there had armed themselves with machetes in anticipation of unrest during campaigning.

Separately, Klaten military chief Lt. Col. Gusti Amran found out the weapons were to be used to fight members of the security force.

"It's ridiculous... some groups are seeking to create chaos in the election campaigning," he said.

Gusti said he had deployed his undercover members to comb areas suspected of making the arms and he found out the arms were to be used against his members.

In Surakarta on Monday evening, about 2,000 orphans gathered in Manahan sport stadium to pray for a peaceful campaign period and election day. (har)