Rivals admit responsibility for seizing Golkar flags
Rivals admit responsibility for seizing Golkar flags
JAKARTA (JP): Rival political parties admitted responsibility
for the theft of scores of Golkar Party flags in a number of
regencies in East Java.
Flags were stolen in the regencies of Probolinggo, Magetan,
Bojonegoro, Tuban, the Malang township and the provincial capital
of Surabaya. In two Golkar-dominated regencies, Madiun and
Magetan, nearly all of Golkar's flags and other attributes were
stolen by unidentified parties.
However, in Probolinggo, supporters of the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), the National
Awakening Party (PKB) and the National Mandate Party (PAN)
admitted their joint involvement in seizing Golkar flags and
other attributes.
Singgih Hartono of the Probolinggo branch of PDI Perjuangan
defended the action, saying that the Golkar symbols which they
seized were the old ones, which should have been changed
according to Golkar's new identity as a political party.
"The symbols don't have the word 'party' and the new number
'33' on them," Singgih said. Golkar Party is among 48 political
parties contesting the June 7 general election and is no longer
the number two poll contestant as in past elections. Golkar also
is now officially a political party, whereas before it was
classified as a functional group.
The chairman of the East Java chapter of the Justice and Unity
Party, Indra Prajitno, also justified the thefts, saying Golkar
had violated the new elections law by displaying flags with
incorrect identification. East Java Golkar chairman Doetomo said,
"Seizing flags cannot be justified for whatever reason. I'll
lodge a protest with the Provincial Elections Committee."
Separately, the Malang chapter of the Abul Yatama Party
announced it would distribute money to school children and other
residents, saying it was continuing its tradition of helping the
poor. Denying attempts to buy votes, party chairman Eko Budi
Sumantri said, "Helping the needy is highly recommended in
Islam."
In Semarang, a political lecturer reiterated calls for Golkar
Party to postpone planned functions in the province in order to
avoid further unrest.
"Residents are so tired of the former practices of the ruling
Golkar Party," Novel Ali, a deputy on the Central Java Elections
Supervisory Committee, told The Jakarta Post on Friday.
He cited the pressure placed on residents to paint everything
yellow, the color of Golkar, ahead of the last election.
The secretary of the Solo chapter of Golkar, Djoko
Trisnowidodo, said Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung's planned April
17 visit to the town had been rescheduled for an as yet
unidentified date, because April 17 was the Islamic New Year and
a national holiday.
On Friday protests continued against harassment of female
Golkar supporters in Purbalingga.
On April 2, people wearing PDI Perjuangan attributes ordered
male and female Golkar supporters to remove their Golkar shirts.
The General Elections Commission is sending a fact-finding
team to Purbalingga on Monday. Central Java Police Chief Maj.
Gen. Nurfaizi said some women removed their Golkar shirts out of
fear. The Coalition of Indonesian Women for Justice and Democracy
stated that the sexual harassment case "markedly affected women's
wishes to be more active in politics". (nur/har/anr)