PDI Perjuangan flexes its muscle in Friday's campaign
JAKARTA (JP): Unchallenged in the sheer number of supporters mobilized in its rallies, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) dominated Friday's campaigning.
As hundreds of thousands of supporters flooded streets in Jakarta, chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri's speech in Lampung drew a crowd of about 30,000 to Way Halim Stadium in Tanjungkarang mayoralty.
Warning her supporters against attempts to foil the elections, Megawati urged them to vote on June 7.
"This year's general election has strategic value for Indonesia's efforts to establish a new and credible government, which is expected to bring the nation out of the prolonged economic crisis," she said to the cheering crowd.
Earlier Friday, Megawati addressed about 5,000 supporters in Metro, Central Lampung regency.
Meanwhile, at Cenderawasih Stadium in Jayapura, the capital of the easternmost province of Irian Jaya, PDI Perjuangan secretary- general Alexander Litaay addressed 4,000 supporters.
"What we all need is a new government which is free from the elements of the New Order regime," he said in his speech.
PDI Perjuangan also dominated crowded Friday's election campaigning after two days of calm in Bandung, West Java.
Sharing the campaign with the Muslim Community Party (PUI), the Muslim Community Awakening Party (PKU), the Indonesia United Islam Party (PSII) and the Abul Yatama Party, PDI Perjuangan supporters jammed traffic as they rallied around the city after Friday prayers.
Meanwhile, National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Amien Rais completed on Friday his two-day barnstorming of the "horseshoe" area of East Java. It encompassed cities including Bangkalan, Pamekasan, Pasuruan, Lumajang, Probolinggo and Banyuwangi, which are considered the stronghold of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the country's largest Muslim organization.
PAN shared the election campaign zone with the United Development Party (PPP) in Surabaya on Friday. The PAN rally was held at Pancasila Stadium, with PPP featured at Bungkul Park.
Supporters of both parties crowded the streets of the East Java capital after the gatherings.
Meanwhile, local election committees in Kediri mayoralty and Kediri and Lamongan regencies discovered thousands of damaged ballots.
In Lamongan, about 5,000 soiled ballots were found, while 7,000 ballots in Kediri regency and 2,000 in Kediri mayoralty were already marked.
In Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, chairman of the Crescent Star Party (PBB) Yusril Ihza Mahendra asserted his party was free of "dirty politics".
"PBB was established as a new political force, and will strive to create security and free the people from fear," he told tens of thousands of supporters on Friday.
Friday's campaigning in Ujungpandang was tainted by violence. Scores of Golkar supporters attacked the chapter of the National Mandate Party (PAN), resulting in a brawl and leaving several cars of Golkar supporters damaged.
Separately, Golkar supporters also tried to attack a post of PDI Perjuangan, but were blocked by the latter's supporters.
Police arrested 20 Golkar supporters who were carrying spears.
Constitution
Also on Friday in Ujungpandang, Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung promised the party would campaign for an amendment to the 1945 Constitution, introduce limitations on presidential terms of office and create a mechanism for direct presidential elections.
"The Golkar Party will propose to the House of Representatives to amend the body of 1945 Constitution," Tandjung said after a speech in the South Sulawesi capital.
The document contains 16 chapters and 37 articles, including ones on the presidential term and presidential election mechanism.
In Yogyakarta, hundreds of thousands of supporters of the National Awakening Party (PKB) thronged the Dwi Windu soccer field to listen to Abdurrahman Wahid.
Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, is NU chairman. In the gathering, he renewed his claim that PKB was the only party that NU established and that other parties set up by NU followers were unofficial.
He again likened NU to a hen whose egg was PKB. "The other parties are the hen's droppings," he quipped.
Earlier in the day, Abdurrahman held a closed-door meeting with Yogyakarta monarch Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X. No details were divulged from the meeting.
Both men have been named by various groups as presidential material.
In Ujungpandang, officials of the South Sulawesi chapter of the People's Sovereignty Party (PDR) decided to cancel planned campaigning on Thursday after finding out the executive board nominated Minister of Cooperatives Adi Sasono as its presidential candidate.
The chapter has named incumbent B.J. Habibie.
"It's a mistake and will tear the party's unity apart as it has never been discussed in a party leadership meeting," said Mubil Handaling, chairman of the PDR's South Sulawesi chapter.
"If the executive board continues with its maneuver, PDR's South Sulawesi chapter will dissolve itself." (23/24/27/30/34/43/nur/swa/imn)