Rallies heat up on Day 6
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The lackluster reception since last Thursday's kick-off of the 22-day campaign period vanished on Tuesday -- at least in part, as indicated by severe traffic jams and accompanying moods caused across the city by a vigorous show of force by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and Muslim-based Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).
Meanwhile, Muslim-oriented Reform Star Party (PBR) tried to steal the show by displaying photographs of its chairman, a famous Muslim preacher often dubbed the "preacher with a million followers".
The PDI-P, which won largest votes in the 1999 general election, clearly wanted to display their unwaning strength over the past five years to the 23 other contending parties -- amid a growing perception, even within the party, that it will likely get less votes at the April 5 legislative election.
Meanwhile, the PKS, often described as one of the most well- organized parties, has been quite successful in maintaining this image, although it had clearly violated election rules prohibiting the involvement of children in campaigns.
The street rallies are also a blatant violation of the General Election Law, as only indoor campaigns are scheduled until March 25. Outdoor campaigns are to be held from March 26 to April 1.
Despite their different political platforms, PDI-P and PKS campaigners joined forces to warn potential voters of the dangers of the return of Soeharto, in whatever new guise.
PKS chairman Hidayat Nur Wahid said the corruption that flourished under the Reform era did not justify efforts to reinstate the bygone New Order, as was being promoted by the Soeharto-backed Concern for the Nation Functional Party (PKPB).
"However subtle and harmless the corruption under the New Order administration may have seemed, it impoverished millions of citizens and plunged us into constant indebtedness to the IMF," he said, referring to the International Monetary Fund.
In the Bulungan sports complex, South Jakarta, top PDI-P campaigner Roy B.B. Janis echoed the concern, saying that a return to the old New Order would be nothing but a huge setback for a country that was moving towards development.
"But I strongly believe that PDI-P supporters know what's best for themselves and the country," he said to a rowdy crowd.
Tuesday's campaigns however, were marred by at least two incidents involving party supporters.
After campaigning in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, dozens of PBR supporters visited TV7 station on Jl. Sudirman, accusing the broadcaster of taking sides, as it failed to show the thousands of the supporters attending the event, and claimed the station had tried to discredit the party.
The incident marked the first move against a media by a political party since the start of the campaign period.
The visit followed earlier remarks made by PBR chairman Zainuddin M.Z. criticizing TV stations for favoring particular parties.
The supporters eventually left the office without causing any violence after top TV7 executives promised to rebroadcast the footage on Wednesday morning.
In the second incident, PKS followers were mobbed by dozens of PDI-P supporters after they were caught up in the middle of PDI- P's street campaign on Jl. Kyai Tapa, West Jakarta.
Police intervened and removed the PKS supporters from the area. No arrests were made.
In Madura, East Java, National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Amien Rais brushed aside a possible coalition between PDI-P and Golkar, the two largest parties, saying the two had a bad relationship and different agendas.
If they were to join forces, Amien said he would not rule out the possibility of PAN forming a coalition with other reform parties to challenge the powerful Golkar-PDI-P coalition.
Separately, Golkar deputy chairman Agung Laksono said the party would pursue more voters among Indonesians working abroad in Malaysia, Singapore and Saudi Arabia.