Politicians parrot Sukarno

BANYUMAS, Central Java: There is something missing in Indonesian Democratic Party's campaign attributes this season: pictures of first president Sukarno.

Pictures of the late Sukarno, founder of the Indonesian Nationalist Party which merged with Christian parties to form the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) in 1973, used to be highly popular in winning public support.

Carrying pictures during campaigns has been officially banned but the rule has not been entirely heeded. Many PDI campaigners don Sukarno or Megawati T-shirts.

Megawati is Sukarno's eldest daughter who was toppled from PDI's top slot by Soerjadi in a breakaway congress last year. She still insists she is the legitimate party boss.

The popularity of Bung Karno, as Indonesia's founding father was popularly called, is still very much alive and used by politicians to lure people.

Many campaigners from PDI, United Development Party and Golkar have imitated Bung Karno's oratory style to inflame public emotion.

PDI politicians opposed to Megawati are among the copycats. (wah/pan)