Second day slow going for PPP's major campaigners
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)