Rallies color PPP's 1st round campaign

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)