Political parties' logos, numbers do matter in Irian Jaya
Political parties' logos, numbers do matter in Irian Jaya
By Neles Tebay
JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): Of the 48 political parties
contesting next month's elections, only 25 have branch offices in
the eastern-most province.
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan),
the Golkar Party, the United Development Party (PPP), the
National Mandate Party (PAN) and the National Awakening Party
(PKB) are the major parties attempting to woo Irianese voters.
Until very recently, the most familiar in the province were
the old Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), Golkar and PPP. These
three parties already have branches in nine districts, so they
have only needed to set up branches in three new districts:
Paniai, Puncak Jaya and Mimika.
A major challenge for the parties is to promote their logo and
number on the ballot paper.
"Our party and its logo are familiar here so we have
practically no difficulty in familiarizing them among the
locals," Budi Baldus Waromi, secretary of PDI Irian Jaya regional
branch told The Jakarta Post.
Out of the 25 political parties, only Golkar has branches
throughout the villages led by commissioners.
"We already have sub-district and village committees
throughout Irian Jaya," said Ruben Gobay, deputy chairman of
Golkar Party's Irian Jaya executive board.
Just like any other parties, Golkar, PDI and PPP, have to
promote their serial numbers. "District executive boards, as well
as sub-district and village committees, have been assigned to
popularize the Golkar number all over this province," Gobay said.
Many voters remain unaware of Golkar's new number. Chairman of
the Irian Jaya executive board TN Kaiway, who recently returned
from Biak, recounted a funny story about the number issue.
In a meeting between the Irian Jaya executive board and
community figures in Biak, a man told him the following: "Do not
doubt us, sir. We, the people of Biak district, will remain loyal
to number two (referring to Golkar's former number). "Well, these
people still think that number two is Golkar. Now, number two
belongs to the Indonesian Christian National Party (Krisna) and
Golkar's number is 33.
"Unless Golkar intensifies popularization of its number, I am
worried that Krisna Party will enjoy many accidental votes,"
Wempy Wola, head of Golkar's Irian Jaya directorate of
sociopolitical affairs said. He said it was commonly understood
among Irianese that number two was Golkar's number.
He said PDI could find itself in the same boat, as most people
equate the number three with the PDI. "Unless PDI popularizes its
new number, it will be PNI (the Indonesian Nationalist Party)
that will garner a lot of votes, although PNI has no branches in
Irian Jaya."
The most popular party is Megawati Soekarnoputri's PDI
Perjuangan. Chairman of the party's Irian Jaya executive board,
Ben Vincen Djeharu, said the biggest challenge facing his party
is the promotion of its serial number -- 11.
"Our party is well known among Irian Jaya's people.
Unfortunately, not many people here are aware that in this
upcoming election the party's number is 11. Unless we embark on
an information campaign, people will think our number is three,"
he said.
Illustrating Megawati's popularity, Yance Very Kogeya,
chairman of the PDI Perjuangan Wamena branch, told a story about
an illiterate man who was eager to vote for a party led by a
woman.
Stanis Uropmabin, an employee at a private company in
Jayapura, shared in the approval for PDI Perjuangan.
The party is by far the most impressive in popularizing its
party number, particularly in the 12 district capitals and one
municipality capital. In Jayapura, for example, PDI Perjuangan
flags and stickers are prominent. These items have been very much
sought after, as are the party's calendars.
In Hamadi village, Jayapura, a 61-year-old woman rushed out of
her home upon hearing that the local board of PDI Perjuangan was
distributing party stickers and banners. "Let me have one," she
said. When she was given a banner, she kissed it.
While in previous elections Jayapura underwent
"yellowization", the color of Golkar, today it has been turned
red, the color of PDI Perjuangan. All over the city you can see
"No. 11". "The same is also true in Biak," Ben said.
Parties other than PDI Perjuangan, PDI, PPP and Golkar are yet
to undertake this critical job of introducing their names,
logos/symbols, numbers and also completing their organizational
structure in rural areas. In Jayapura, many people are not
familiar with the symbols and numbers of parties, let alone in
isolated sub-districts.
As of May 5, only four parties, namely PDI Perjuangan, Golkar,
Murba Party and Love the Nation Democratic Party (PDKB) had
established branches in all districts.
PDI Perjuangan has also had sub-district committees in the
majority of sub-districts in Irian Jaya, while PAN and the
People's Sovereignty Party (PDR) have established branches in 11
districts and in Jayapura. They are yet to set up branches in
vital districts like Paniai and Puncak Jaya.
Other newly established political parties are yet to set up
district branches. These parties acknowledged that their main
problem was limited funds.
"Of course we wish to set up our sub-district and village
committees, but we cannot do so because of a financial
constraint," chairman of Murba Party's provincial executive board
Frans Wayne said.
Other newly established political parties have found it
difficult to popularize their logos and numbers also because of
this financial constraint. That is why they earnestly hope Irian
Jaya's governor will extend financial assistance to political
parties for the upcoming elections.
Those parties successful in setting up their district branches
have conducted their information campaigns as a result of
financial aid from local districts and mayors. Jayapura mayor
Roemantiyo, for example, provided Rp 5 million to each political
party with a branch executive board in Jayapura municipality.
"In other districts, district heads have also financially
assisted political parties in establishing their branches," said
Wempy, without mentioning how much the assistance was.
Unless political parties establish sub-district and village
committees and then popularize themselves in terms of their names
and number, people in remote areas accessible only by plane or by
boat will almost certainly vote for Golkar.
"The reason is that they are familiar only with one party,
Golkar," said an Irian Jaya regional elections committee member.
Most Irianese in remote areas are illiterate and many suspect
Golkar -- the only party with branches in these areas -- will
cash in on this situation. This is the reason many parties in
Jayapura have predicted that Golkar will win in isolated sub-
districts, especially if Golkar is the only party represented
there.
Meanwhile, it is predicted that in district capitals Golkar
will probably lose.
A typical Irianese town dweller's remarks run as follows: "We
have always helped Golkar win the elections, but unfortunately
human right violations continue to be perpetrated and our natural
resources have been depleted and taken to Jakarta to be enjoyed
by non-Irianese people. When we have a problem, Golkar has never
taken sides with us. Golkar has always sided with businessmen.
Many times it has cheated us, the people. So, in the upcoming
elections we will not vote for Golkar any more."
Migrants are expected to vote for new parties. Therefore,
Golkar would possibly win only in Jayawijaya, Paniai and Puncak
Jaya districts and in isolated sub-districts in other districts,
particularly in places where Golkar is the sole party.
In previous elections, Paniai and Puncak Jaya districts
invariably voted for Golkar. This year, however, PDKB and PDI
Perjuangan have set up district executive boards there together
with a few village committees.
One factor which will influence the choice of a party in sub-
districts where Irianese are predominant will be the figures
nominated on the list of legislative candidates.
"The fact that there are a lot of parties is confusing to us.
That's why we have decided to vote for a party nominating the
legislative candidates of our choice," Marius Tebay told The
Post.
Asked if he was familiar with the Murba Party he retorted,
"What party is it? What is its logo and what does it fight for?"
He added that any party could establish a branch in Kamu sub-
district but that the locals would vote for a party nominating
legislative candidates they had proposed.
Time constraint
Time is another constraint facing political parties which have
just established branches in Irian Jaya. The Islamic Community
Party (PUI), for example, opened a branch in Jayapura on April
27. Chairman of the Irian Jaya provincial executive board said
the party only had two district executive boards, namely in
Jayapura municipality and Jayapura district.
"Owing to time and financial constraints, PUI has not set up
its branches in 11 other districts," he said.
Unlike other provinces, religion is not a basis for support
from voters. The National Mandate Party (PAN), for example, is
enjoying support from the majority of people in Merauke district,
most of whom are Christians.
PAN, chaired by Amien Rais, a former Muhammadiyah Islamic
organization, has declared itself an "open" party.
Chairman of the PAN Merauke board, Max Mahuse, said PAN had
set up committees in most sub-districts in Merauke. According to
a member of the Jayapura board of PDI Perjuangan, some
legislative candidates from this party in Merauke have also
shifted their allegiance to PAN.
Massive support given by the Merauke population to PAN can be
attributed to the figure of Max Mahuse alone. He is known as a
staunch champion of human rights who defends the locals in land
disputes.
He constantly tries to promote people's welfare through the
social foundation, YAPSEL, which he leads. He is also chairman of
the Customary Deliberative Institute of the Marind Tribe and
chairman of the chamber of commerce and industry in Merauke
district.
Except for PAN, PDI Perjuangan, Golkar and PDKB, other
political parties in Irian Jaya have not set a target to win the
upcoming elections.
Only four parties are expected to do well in next month's
election in Irian Jaya: the Golkar Party, PDI Perjuangan, PAN and
PDKB. Which of them will obtain the most votes will depend on how
well they popularize their logos, numbers and programs.