PDI chief Soerjadi denies losing public sympathy

PDI chief Soerjadi denies losing public sympathy

DONGGALA, Central Sulawesi (JP): The government-sanctioned
faction of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) insisted
yesterday that it had not lost the public's support despite the
party's split.

PDI chairman Soerjadi told 15,000 people at the Donggala
soccer field here that huge turnouts at the faction's rallies
proved the split had not affected the party's support.

"This reality should open the eyes of those who underestimate
PDI. This party remains at the heart of people, especially
youths," Soerjadi said.

The party split into two factions after a government-backed
rebel congress last year that reinstated Soerjadi at the party's
helm after toppling Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Megawati, daughter of Indonesia's late founding president
Sukarno, has filed dozens of lawsuits against Soerjadi and the
government over her removal.

Hundreds of Megawati loyalists have haunted PDI rallies across
Java, demanding that the government-recognized faction settle its
acrimonious dispute before the general election.

A former PDI deputy chairman and Megawati supporter, Yahya
Nasution, predicted Monday that the party's seats in the House of
Representatives would fall from 56 to 19 after the election.

Soerjadi said yesterday the media was discouraging party
activists during the 27-day campaign period. "I'm not going to
jump into polemics with the mass media. I have always answered
all public doubts with evidence," he said.

The PDI's previous turnout record was set in Wamena, Irian
Jaya, last Friday, when around 10,000 people -- many of them clad
in Irianese tribal attire -- attended a rally.

Soerjadi reiterated his warning that PDI supporters could face
terror and intimidation before voting, and cheating during ballot
counting.

"Learning from the past, this misconduct should be
anticipated," Soerjadi said.

Robbery

The PDI held an indoor discussion in the South Sulawesi
capital of Ujungpandang yesterday. About 30 people attended the
discussion at the house of local PDI figure John Kadiaman.

About 200 youths on motorcycles gathered outside Kadiaman's
house during the discussion causing a traffic jam.

The youths then turned their attention to crime by stealing
360 bottles and cans of Coca-cola, Fanta and Sprite soft drinks
from a truck which was trapped in the congestion.

Local police apprehended 50 people, five of them were nine
years old. City police chief Col. Mochamad Darus said that some
of the youths would be tried.

A lack of money stopped the PDI holding a rally in
Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, yesterday, Antara reported.

The rally was scheduled to feature three national campaigners,
but their names did not appear on the campaign schedule.

PDI Palangkaraya branch chief Darmos Kiong said recently that
he and his colleagues had almost run out of money after only
three rounds of campaigning.

Kiong said the financial squeeze might be caused by the local
government's decision to cut its donation to each of the three
parties from Rp 15 million (US$6,300) in 1992 to Rp 5 million.
(31/37/amd)