'PDI won't expect much from election'

'PDI won't expect much from election'

JAKARTA (JP): Legal barriers have forced the Indonesian
Democratic Party (PDI) to throw in the towel before contesting
the May 29 general election, a member of the party said
yesterday.

Budi Hardjono, a supporter of the government-recognized
Soerjadi-led PDI, complained yesterday the new election rules
would hamper the party from making a full use of the period
allotted for campaigning between April 29 to May 23.

"It will be hard for us to perform even as well as we did five
years ago," Budi said. "Rallies are the best tool for encouraging
the masses to make their choice," he added.

The party would not expect too much from the upcoming election
but would continue the consolidation of cadres, preparing
controlling measures for the election day and intensifying
internal communication prior to the election, according to Budi.

The PDI, the United Development Party (PPP) and the ruling
political grouping Golkar will be vying for 425 seats in the
House of Representatives.

The PDI, regularly bottom-place in the last four elections,
enjoyed a slight increase by winning 15 percent of the vote in
1992. The PPP gained 16 percent of the ballot. Golkar scored its
fifth straight unanimous victory with 68 percent, but lost 17
seats.

Budi said the government had suffered a setback after issuing
election rules unfavorable to the contesting parties.

The rules allocate time for each competitor to expand its
campaign range to villages. Past general elections allowed
campaigning only in the capital cities of Indonesia's 27
provinces and 241 regencies.

But the campaign schedule obliges the three parties to
campaign in pre-designated areas, sometimes in two far-distant
towns on the same day. In the last election, the government let
each party arrange their own schedule.

"In reality, we will have only nine days to hold rallies due
to the scheduling, unless we have enough funds to speed up our
mobility," Budi said.

A similar complaint had been raised by PPP secretary-general
Tosari Wijaya who said the party might withdraw from the
election. PPP chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum said Tuesday the
party would announce its official stance on the new rules after a
leadership meeting early in March.

Budi said that despite the fact that the new rules would
affect all three contestants, only one would survive.

"We are preparing for a tough job while we are facing internal
problems. To make matters worse, a certain competitor is unfairly
provided with facilities," he said.

Commenting on the complaint, Director General for Social and
Political Affairs Sutoyo N.K. said yesterday each competitor
would cope if they prepared well for the election.

Asked about the financial shortage, Sutoyo said the government
would take it into consideration.

He also asked PPP not to worry about its limited campaigning
resources, saying each contestant was allowed to use state-owned
television TVRI and state-owned radio RRI to broadcast programs
to remote areas.

Sutoyo said the government would not take punitive measures
against any party which failed to complete the campaigning
schedule.

"A rally will depend on a party's capability. They don't have
to do it if they cannot manage it," he said. (imn/amd)