PDI-P executive plays down threats of revolution

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) executive Theo Syafei calmed fears over threats by overzealous party members that it would mobilize a mass movement for a revolution if party leader Megawati Soekarnoputri was not elected as president.

Theo said on Monday the statements should not be taken seriously and were pure rhetoric.

He claimed that such vigor from the "grass roots" was a manner of expression to show that they continue to support Megawati even though they were not directly involved in the election process at the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

"So don't connote this with a lack of trust toward the process and the Assembly members," he remarked.

However, he also underlined that in a democratic process people had the right to express their political aspirations and thus peaceful demonstrations of support should be tolerated.

"We can't forbid them to do these things, especially if what they're doing is not in violation of the law," Theo remarked.

Jakarta and other major cities have been the scene of increasing street demonstrations supporting one of the leading presidential candidates.

With such a mass concentration of supporters, it is feared that the situation may erupt should their candidate not be elected on Wednesday night.

Separately, political scientist Arbi Sanit said on Monday that the harsh comments and threats of a revolution by PDI Perjuangan were made to compensate the party's wavering political prowess.

"It is meant to provoke people, to glue people to the party," Arbi said.

"Who wants a revolution, do they think it's easy to create a revolution? They (PDI Perjuangan leaders) are talking like students.

"Revolution can only occur if 70 percent of the people are suffering. To suffer in such a way so that there is no other way out. People are still eating properly, supermarkets are still full nowadays," he lambasted.

Arbi urged PDI Perjuangan executives to tone down its rhetoric and public demonstrations, fearing it might spark counter movements which could end up in a clash.

"It will only disturb the presidential race at the session if the rival supporters meet and a clash becomes inevitable," he told Antara.

Meanwhile in Semarang, Central Java, the chairman of the provincial chapter of the United Development Party (PPP) urged leaders of political parties to disperse party supporters who flock to certain spots of the capital in order to avoid possible brawls among them.

M. Toeyfoer said on Monday that nobody wants bloodstains spoiling the election of president by the Assembly.

"We are all children of the nation. We should not kill each other only because we have different political attitudes or because we have different presidential candidates," he told The Jakarta Post.

The flow of PDI Perjuangan supporters from outside Jakarta have drawn pros and cons, but many say such a mass deployment is liable to ignite a riot.

That's why the parties' elite, including Amien Rais, Megawati Soekarnoputri, Hamzah Haz, Matori Abdul Djalil and Akbar Tandjung, should go to the street to instill in their supporters to go home, Toeyfoer said.

"The party leaders should encourage the supporters to trust the MPR to pick the best person as the new president, which will be accepted by all layers of society," he added.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the Central Java chapter of National Awakening Party (PKB), Ircham Abdulrochim, said that PDI Perjuangan supporters' appearance in Jakarta reflected their skepticism about how the Assembly would elect the president.

"Therefore, the people's representatives should be responsive and careful in responding to the political development or fatal clashes among party supporters will take place," Ircham said.

He said, however, he was optimistic clashes would not happen if Megawati was elected president.

"What PDI Perjuangan supporters believe is that the party won the general election, and therefore Megawati deserves the presidential seat."

In Yogyakarta, senior sociologist Nasikun said that the outpouring of mass support was a result of the obscure politics by party elites.

"The game being played by our political elites is causing confusion and worry among the people who fear a discrepancy between the results of the election and the decision of the Assembly," he said.

He warned that if it reached a certain point of anxiety, people would begin to take things into their own hands and security forces would be unable to stop the emotional frustration.

"This is the problem when you have a system such as ours, where at the MPR level the people's sovereignty is represented by political elites," he said.

When asked how the situation could be diffused, Nasikun responded: "Simple, let Megawati become president". (44/har/sur/emf)