Party leaders bike for fun, but not everyone show up

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Will there be peaceful competition among political parties set to run in the upcoming general election? The fun bike event held on Sunday gave a good hint, as the participating party leaders turned it into a raucous bike race.

Still catching their breath, the 24 party leaders later read out a joint pledge to stand for election peacefully.

"All of us want the election to run peacefully without any violence ... That's why we have gathered together all party leaders to strive for a peaceful election," said Djafar H Assegaff, deputy chief editor of Media Indonesia daily, closing the fun bike event at the front yard of Graha Pemuda, Jl. Gerbang Pemuda, Central Jakarta.

According to the regulations, the political parties are due to start campaigning on March 11 and finish on April 1.

The program, titled Peace Bike to Election, was organized jointly by Media Indonesia, its sister television station Metro TV and bicycle maker Polygon.

Around 200 participants, including those from non-governmental organizations, Jakarta officials, observers, artists and poll watch and poll commission members, zipped through the 5.2- kilometer route. Traffic policemen rerouted the traffic for several minutes to make way for the cyclists.

"This fun bike event may remind us (political parties) that we must play fair," said Andi Mallarangeng who chairs the United Democratic Nationhood Party (PPDK).

Reform Star Party executive Ade Daud N added that the event was just an opportunity to socialize with other parties and the media. "Of course, we won't stop at this event. We've planned many other activities to reach out to people, especially those at grassroots level."

It seemed that the event failed to reach its target as leaders of major parties, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Golkar and the United Development Party (PPP), did not show up.

The event was also enlivened by a mini-drama put on by elementary school students from Teater Sanggar Anak Kemboja, in an expression of what the children hoped for from the upcoming elections.

"We just want the price of rice to be cheaper, as well as the price of books" said a boy.

"We don't want any more floods to affect our school," another boy added.