PPP reveals Golkar plot to cheat
PPP reveals Golkar plot to cheat
JAKARTA (JP): The United Development Party (PPP) said it has
discovered more poll rigging attempts by the dominant political
party, Golkar.
PPP's deputy secretary-general, Bachtiar Chamsyah, said he had
uncovered an inter-office memo issued by the secretary-general of
the Ministry of Information, Tonny Soekaton, instructing
employees to obtain extra voting tickets for polling day.
The circular said the ministry's employees living in nearby
West Java should apply for temporary identity cards in Jakarta.
The circulation was distributed to the ministry's inspector-
general, director-general of general information, director-
general of radio, television and film, director-general of press
and graphics and chief of the ministry's research and development
center.
With the Jakarta identity card, employees will get another
voting ticket, in addition to one from their own area, Bachtiar
said.
In the circular, the secretary-general cited an agreement
between the Jakarta and West Java administrations to help
government employees working in Jakarta but living in West Java
with identity card applications.
Historically, government employees, grouped under the public
servants' corps, are Golkar supporters and obliged to vote for
the dominant party in every election.
With its six million members, the corps is a very important
political power, whose members' votes are keenly sought after.
Tonny could not be reached for comment yesterday.
The director-general of press and graphics, Subrata, said he
had not received the circular. "Once I receive it, I'll check its
content," he said.
Bachtiar said the PPP's branch in Gorontalo, North Sulawesi,
stopped campaigning Monday after a series of threats from local
officials.
The branch has been denied permits to campaign at several
villages.
Another poll rigging attempt was reported in South Sulawesi's
Bone regency. The local PPP chief, M. Arsyad Pana, said a village
head had drawn up a report stating Golkar had won 2,141 of the
2,218 votes, while the PPP won 72 votes and the Indonesian
Democratic Party only 5 votes. (imn/37)