PPP promises to pioneer political change

JAKARTA (JP): The United Development Party (PPP) ended its 27- day campaign yesterday by reiterating its determination to help the public by pioneering change in the political system.

PPP chief Ismail Hasan Metareum said the current system allowed widespread corruption and power abuse.

High on the PPP's agenda would be the abolition of illegal levies and bribes that people now paid when dealing with government agencies, he said.

"PPP will make sure that there won't be illegal levies and bribes when people tend to their ID cards and apply for employment in government offices," he told a rally in Serang, West Java.

The PPP's last rallies were marred with riots in Jakarta and several towns in Java. In Jakarta, thousands of PPP supporters poured into the streets although the party's leadership had decided it was too dangerous to hold gatherings.

Ismail said the government's policies favored the privileged few.

"PPP will seek laws that give workers more protection so that employers won't be able to dismiss their workers arbitrarily," he said.

Ismail said that law enforcement did not work for the oppressed. "We don't want to see ordinary people jailed for committing petty crimes while officials are untouchable."

In Yogyakarta, an estimated 75,000 supporters gathered in the city's Northern Square in front of Sultan Hamengku Buwono X's palace to listen to a speech by PPP campaigner Syukri Fadholi.

Many supporters ignored the government's ban on carrying Mega- bintang banners, which suggest an alliance between the PPP and Megawati Soekarnoputri, the ousted leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).

Megawati announced Thursday that she would not vote in the election, but this does not seem to have affected her loyalists who want to vote for PPP on May 29.

Tension ran high yesterday amid rumors of impending riots. Many shops closed and the business districts were quiet.

PPP turned Surabaya green as an estimated 100,000 party noisy supporters swarmed the city's streets. A rally in Bungkul square featured well-known intellectual Emha Ainun Najib and PPP secretary-general Tosari Widjaya.

Emha, who has had some of his plays banned, criticized the government's policies that shackled people's freedom of expression.

"For many years, people have been under numerous restrictions. The time has come for the people to make a change," he told the enthusiastic crowd.

Emha, who spoke for about 15 minutes, is a top speaker. His rare appearance ended his long silence on which party he supported.

He said the PPP was a Moslem-oriented party so it would have to have the courage to uphold the nation's political morality, which he said had been adulterated by the arrogance of those in power.

Tosari told the crowd the PPP would focus for the next few years on struggling to overcome widespread injustice.

"We will always put moral and spiritual values above any of our activities," he said.

Like in many places in Java, shops were closed for fear of riots. The Atom shopping center, Pasar Turi, Tunjungan Plaza and other business districts in Surabaya were closed for the whole day.

In the afternoon, police were put on full alert following rumors that the police headquarters would be attacked. (nur/26/23/pan)