PPP announces tough stance on polls violations

PPP announces tough stance on polls violations

JAKARTA (JP): Leaders of the United Development Party (PPP)
have vowed to take a stronger stance against violations during
general elections.

Deputy chairman Zain Badjeber told reporters here yesterday
that should violations occur again in the 1997 general election
without the government responding to them properly, "we will file
charges against it".

Zain, who was accompanied by other party executives including
chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum, said the government should launch
investigations into any reports of violations "even without us
requesting it".

"We will step up our advocacy against violations in the next
elections," he said. "If reports are not acted on, we will sue
the government so the people know what is happening," he said.

Zain and the other party executives were explaining to
reporters the results of the party's recent leadership meeting in
Cipayung, West Java, at which they vowed to stand up against the
practice of coercion and intimidation during elections.

The stronger stance, Zain pointed out, is consistent with the
party's political statement issued at the talks, particularly the
pledge "to take concrete actions to defend people who may become
victims of the implementation of the 1997 elections."

According to the Criminal Code, reports on intimidation, for
instance, can be investigated without requests from the victims
themselves.

Zain accused the government's election supervision committee
of failing to act on reports of violations occurring during the
previous general elections.

Also yesterday, the party leaders announced the establishment
of three bodies (lajnah) to better prepare them for the next
elections. Advocacy and litigation is the job of the advocacy
body chaired by Zain.

The other two bodies are the electoral campaign body headed by
Aisyah Aminy, and the funding and logistics body under Hamzah
Haz.

In a related development, the chairman of the ruling grouping
Golkar, Harmoko, denied the PPP's charges that his grouping has
been mobilizing students during school hours for its cadre
meetings around the country.

Harmoko also denied yesterday Ismail's claim that the students
were under-age and not even cadres for the political grouping.

"Golkar has never mobilized students," he said. The students
"are at least 17 years old and they are first-time voters, so
their attendance is legal".

"When they come to the meetings they come as cadres, not as
students ...they attend after school hours or on holidays,"
Harmoko said. He added he usually travels to cadre meetings on
Saturdays and Sundays.

"I always give out Golkar membership cards to the 17-year-
olds," he said.

He said the young cadres "have become Golkar members of their
own accord, without any coercion."

"Golkar realizes this is what we need, members who join of
their own will, because they are reliable, strong, prime-quality
cadres," he said. (anr)