Police investigate Megawati's role in disturbances
JAKARTA (JP): The police are investigating the possible involvement of Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) ousted leader Megawati Soekarnoputri in recent election campaign disturbances.
Police spokesman Lt. Col. Edward Aritonang said Saturday that four Megawati supporters were being held at North Jakarta police precinct for disrupting a rally last week.
Megawati, ousted in a government-sanctioned breakaway congress last year but claiming to still be the legitimate PDI chief, has decided not to take part in the campaign after being barred from running in the election.
"She cannot be charged with direct involvement in the disturbances ... we are looking into the role she may have played," Aritonang was quoted as saying by Antara.
Aritonang said the North Jakarta Megawati supporters were arrested after hurling stones at vehicles carrying Soerjadi loyalists to a rally.
"This showed that they meant to sabotage the general election," he said.
Aritonang said the government was suspicious of the use of Megawati's pictures by the United Development Party (PPP) in Jakarta and in the provinces.
Also carrying her pictures were Megawati supporters who displayed them to demonstrate their loyalty, and her supporters who had joined forces with PPP to display their frustration at the government's stand on the PDI conflict.
Under the election laws, carrying pictures of any figure is banned. In the past, the picture of first president Sukarno, the founder of Indonesian Nationalist Party which merged with Christian parties to form PDI in 1973, was the most popular.
Despite the ban, many PPP campaigners have displayed the pictures of Megawati Soekarnoputri and pop singer Iwan Fals.
In Jatiuwung, Tangerang, the police seized on Friday banners carrying the picture of Megawati.
Megawati, who retains strong grassroots support, has been approached by PPP for a possible alliance. Observers believed the maneuver was aimed at attracting public support.
Unpopular
Meanwhile, the government-recognized PDI chairman Soerjadi rejected Megawati loyalists' demand that he stop campaigning. They charged last week that Soerjadi was unpopular.
"We are committed to making the general election a success," Soerjadi said over the weekend.
Seventeen senior politicians loyal to Megawati filed a petition with House of Representatives Speaker Wahono on Friday, demanding that Soerjadi, who is also a deputy House Speaker, stop campaigning.
Soerjadi said that although PDI campaigns received a somewhat cool response from the public, support for the party would remain strong and street rallies were just one of various ways to attract voters.
His campaigns, tightly guarded by police to prevent possible disturbances by Megawati supporters as happened in East Java and Jakarta, only have attracted small crowds.
PDI has focused its campaign on efforts to eradicate poverty. (pan)