Rallies color PPP's 1st round campaign

JAKARTA (JP): Street rallies and motorcades, which have been officially banned for this year's election campaign, became the highlight of the United Development Party's campaign here and in several regions in Java yesterday.

Roaming the city's main streets before attending assemblies in several campaign sites across Jakarta, the supporters, mostly youths, of United Development Party (PPP) yelled and encouraged bystanders to join them or gesture with the party's sign. Most responded enthusiastically.

Clad in green and carrying banners, the supporters overloaded various means of transportation, from open trucks to buses and minivans as well as motorbikes. Troops and riot police tried to block the motorcades in some areas, and stood guard in other areas.

"The rallies have enlivened campaigns, which for the previous two days felt spiritless," said a Jakarta resident, watching an ear-deafening convoy pass by. Others agreed with him.

The convoys created massive traffic jams in areas surrounding campaign sites, particularly in Mampang in South Jakarta and Jatinegara in East Jakarta.

Officials at the Jakarta chapter of PPP said the street rallies were not planned.

Dozens of the Moslem-based party's campaigners, both of national and local stature, spoke at the party's first campaign round in Jakarta's five mayoralties. In North and West Jakarta, the campaigns were in the form of indoor public assemblies.

Outdoor mass gatherings were held in Central, East and South Jakarta mayoralties.

Among the campaign speakers were noted legislator Hamzah Haz, chairman of PPP Jakarta-chapter Rusdji Hamka and party deputy chairman Zain Badjeber. They all said in their speeches, cheered on by thousands of supporters, that the party would "fight social, economic, and political injustices that the people have suffered".

In North Jakarta, a local Moslem figure, Syarifin Maloko, told a gathering of 1,500 PPP supporters to vote for and give the party the opportunity to play a greater role in the administration.

"We will do better than the ruling party (Golkar) in responding to people's aspirations," said Syarifin who was once considered an antigovernment figure.

In Bandung, West Java, thousands of PPP supporters meandered through various routes before reaching the Pajajaran indoor sports stadium to hold an assembly.

Speaking yesterday was legislator A.M. Syaefuddin whose fiery speech drew enthusiastic yells in support of the star-symboled party.

Street rallies also took place in Bogor, West Java, where dozens of packed buses went around the town before heading to the campaign site.

In Yogyakarta, street rallies almost ended up in a fight between the supporters of PPP and those of Golkar. The PPP masses gave the party's one-finger sign to Golkar supporters, who responded by waving two fingers -- Golkar's party sign.

In the Central Java capital of Semarang, hundreds of police watched as convoys of thousands of PPP supporters left the campaign site. The gathering featured Central Java chapter chairman Karmani who spoke of "political discrimination practiced by the governor".

Karmani was referring to "yellowization," a drive led by Governor Soewardi to have all public objects painted yellow, the color of Golkar.

In East Java, PPP supporters en route to the campaign site in Warungdowo, Pasuruan regency, removed the flags of Golkar along the street. This was a violation of the campaign rules.

Among the speakers in East Java was PPP chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum who spoke about the need to develop the nation's politics, economy and education in "a just and democratic way". (team)