Police investigate Megawati's role in disturbances
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)