Rallies heat up on Day 6
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.