Second day slow going for PPP's major campaigners

JAKARTA (JP): It was a slow day for the United Development Party (PPP) yesterday with more than half of its major vote- getters taking a break from campaigning to prepare for today's schedule.

From the more than 100 national-level campaigners, only 10 met supporters. These included the chairman of the PPP faction at the House of Representatives, Hamzah Haz, deputy chairman Zain Badjeber and noted ulema Alawy Muhammad.

The party campaigned in the provinces of North, Southeast, Central and South Sulawesi and West, Central, South and East Kalimantan yesterday.

It is scheduled to hold its public assemblies today in Jakarta, the provinces of West, Central and East Java, Yogyakarta, Maluku and Irian Jaya.

In a speech in front of thousands of PPP supporters in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, Zain Badjeber said the party's major themes were justice and the elimination of corruption and collusion.

He criticized Law No. 3, 1971 on the eradication of corruption, saying it no longer met present-day needs.

"In many cases, collusion is considered the failure to meet official procedures, while in fact such cases smack of corruption," he said.

Zain said it was difficult for the existing laws to prove corruption because those involved would not admit their actions.

Zain, who is on the top of the election list for South Kalimantan, said it was time people accused of corruption proved that their wealth was obtained legally.

"Presumption of innocence, which is currently exercised, can no longer be applied," he said.

The party's supporters livened yesterday's public assembly with a kilometer-long motorcade and rally, even though such practices are not allowed under the existing campaign rules.

The rallies were guarded closely by security officials. No incidents took place.

In South Sulawesi, Madurese ulema Alawy Muhammad spoke in front of some 10,000 supporters who braved heavy rains.

Alawy said PPP was the party of the common people and should be supported to win the election.

Among the campaign's highlights were prayers for the health and well-being of President Soeharto and Vice President Try Sutrisno.

In a speech aired last night by state-owned television company TVRI, PPP Chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum said his party believed the laws could provide the public an equal foothold in seeking justice.

"But since there are only 62 legislators from PPP at the House of Representatives, we cannot fight for this cause... By voting for PPP in the election, people can increase this number and help us achieve these goals," he said.

"Voting PPP in the election means you are encouraging this party to set up a new system in society which is more just," he said.

Ismail said injustices in political and economic development would result in a vulnerable and highly instable society.

"The riots that have taken place recently are products of unjust practices which are done both deliberately and non- deliberately," he said.

Ismail said political development implied the need to nurture peoples' political awareness. This should be achieved not only by educating them to understand their rights and obligations in society, but by involving them in the country's decision-making processes.

Political development, he added, should allow room for disagreements and differences without ruining the spirit of unity.

"Political parties should be given the same chance to demonstrate their capability... and allow each citizen to join a political party without the fear of losing one's job, business and peaceful way of life," he said.

Ismail said civil servants should have a neutral standing.

"They should be statesmen and not politicians," he said.

He said that if civil servants remained neutral, all three political parties could carry out their role as an effective tool of development and as a strong means of control through the legislative body.

"Strong control will effectively create a clean and respected bureaucracy," he said. (37/pwn/swe)