Politicians parrot Sukarno

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)