PKB reprimanded for damning Golkar

YOGYAKARTA: The National Awakening Party (PBB) was reprimanded Friday because its chairman Matori Abdul Djalil damned a rival party while addressing a campaign here Thursday.

"We filed the letter of warning today (Friday)," said Moh. Mahfud M.D., deputy chairman of the Yogyakarta elections committee.

Mathori is said to have violated the 1999 electoral law which forbids any party from criticizing another party in public.

In his fiery speech in front of thousands of PKB supporters, Mathori said that Golkar committed the most sins leading to the present national crisis and therefore the party must be dissolved.

"The statement was obviously in violation of the law," Mahfud said. "If Mathori had criticized a party other than Golkar, it may have caused a disaster. Golkar did not retaliate because it is psychologically low from public condemnation." (44)