PDI Perjuangan posts in Jakarta to change from red to white
JAKARTA (JP): All Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) communication posts in the capital will be painted white beginning on Monday to enable other parties to use the posts.
Head of PDI Perjuangan's Jakarta chapter, Roy B.B. Janis, said on Saturday the posts would be painted white and serve as Posko Bersama (joint posts) for all political parties contesting the June 7 general election.
Roy said the plan to change the color of the PDI posts was meant to help prevent clashes between political parties during the campaign period, which is scheduled to start on May 19.
"The joint posts will be used by security members from all political parties. The security members will help the police and military ensure security during the campaign period and the general election," he said.
Roy also said the plan followed a regulation issued by the city administration stipulating that political parties must remove their communication posts from the capital by June 5.
"We've already built the posts, so why should we have to demolish them if we can still use them for something else. We're really sincere about this," he said.
The Jakarta Provincial Elections Committee has issued a schedule of campaign activities which includes the removal of all political party attributes, including communication posts, from the capital by June 5.
PDI Perjuangan has approximately 5,000 communication posts, which are known as Posko Gotong Royong, in Jakarta.
Besides PDI Perjuangan, other political parties, including the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the United Development Party (PPP), have communication posts in the capital.
When asked whether PDI Perjuangan had coordinated with other political parties on the plan to change the color of the posts, Roy said: "They will agree if we carry out the plan for security."
If the posts are neutral nobody will hesitate to visit them and if necessary use them as shelters, Roy said.
"Our commitment (in constructing the posts) was that the posts would not be used for our own political interests, but that we would provide them for the public. Anybody who needs shelter or a place to get first aid after a traffic accident or protection if violence occurs during the campaign period can just go there."
Roy made the remarks after a two-hour meeting with Jakarta Police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman, who was accompanied by the chiefs of all the capital's police precincts.
Noegroho said: "The idea of painting the posts white comes from Pak Roy himself and if it's a good one, why don't we support it?"
Noegroho said the police would not discriminate against any party and if he supported PDI Perjuangan's plan it was because PDI Perjuangan was serious about preventing unrest or clashes during the campaign period and the general election.
He urged other political parties to help safeguard the city for the everybody's sake.
"PDI Perjuangan initiated this meeting and offered this idea of having the joint posts. It was not me or the police. They asked us to assist them so here we are," Noegroho said, adding that he would open his office to all parties to help coordinate the campaign period and the general election. (emf)