PKB leads vote count, Golkar office bombed

SURABAYA: The National Awakening Party (PKB) continued on Thursday afternoon to lead in the ballot counting for East Java, winning approximately 4.88 million votes as of 3 p.m.

The party was followed closely by Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) with 4.73 million votes, while Golkar ran a distant third with 1.75 million votes, according to the Provincial Elections Committee.

The National Mandate Party (PAN) was next with 637,557 votes and United Development Party (PPP) with 567,854 votes.

Observers said it was likely PKB would maintain its lead until the end of vote counting as it already had won in 20 regencies. "This is a pleasant development, which is just like what we predicted," PKB chapter secretary Fuad Anwar said.

In Pasuruan regency alone, PKB has won 22 out of the 40 seats for the regional legislative assembly (DPRD II); the other five seats were already allotted to the military.

On Thursday morning, an explosion rocked the Golkar branch office in Pasuruan on Jl. Wahidin Selatan. The glass door and windows were shattered, and a portion of the office wall was cracked.

There were no injuries as the office was empty and activists were recently moved to a new office on Jl. Pahlawan.

Witnesses said two men riding a motorcycle were seen near the office just before the blast. Pasuruan Police deputy chief Maj. Wahab Saharoni said an investigation had been launched, but "there is no political motive evident" in the blasting.

Rumors had been circulating since the beginning of campaigning on May 19 that the Golkar office would be bombed. (nur)