Students reject campaigns, Susilo sings
A. Junaidi, Jakarta
More students joined those rejecting on-campus presidential campaigns when Amien Rais was denied entry on Saturday to the 10 November Institute of Technology, Surabaya (ITS).
Amien, the National Mandate Party (PAN) candidate, arrived at the institute around 9:45 a.m. by helicopter, but about 25 students barred him and his entourage from entering the campus, although the ITS rector had given Amien permission to present his platforms and programs to the academic community.
A spokesman for the resisting students, Fauzi, said the ITS should remain free of any political campaigns.
"We have to respect the students' wishes," said Amien, adding that he had been accepted by other institutions, including the University of Indonesia, Jakarta, and Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta. He then continued on to Pamekasan, Madura Island, just off the coast of East Java.
Earlier on Wednesday, a group of students at Sultan Syarif Kasim State Islamic Institute in Riau rejected Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's running mate Jusuf Kalla, who was scheduled to hold a dialog with students and lecturers. The group refused entry to Kalla, on the grounds that he had teamed up with a military figure.
Meanwhile, in a bid to solicit the support of thousands attending a rally on Saturday at Merdeka Square, Medan, Susilo of the Democratic Party sang the traditional North Sumatran song, Nasonang Dohita Nadua (Let's get happy).
Accompanied by Kalla, Susilo urged his supporters to choose leaders who fought against discrimination and corrupters.
In Bandung, Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) candidate President Megawati Soekarnoputri and running mate Hasyim Muzadi called on supporters to be wary of vote-buying in the run-up to the July 5 election.
Megawati asked them to reject attempted bribes and report all such incidents to the official Election Supervisory Committee.
According to Transparency International Indonesia, however, her campaign team ranked second after Golkar's Wiranto-Solahuddin team in vote-buying attempts.
After the rally, Megawati went to Buntet Islamic boarding school in Cirebon, West Java, to visit noted Nahdlatul Ulama cleric Abdullah Abbas, who is sick. On the same occasion, she inaugurated 10 new buildings at the school, which were financed by husband Taufik Kiemas.
Meanwhile, United Development Party (PPP) candidate Vice President Hamzah Haz campaigned in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, and promised to deliver free public education.
"Just give me two years, I'll succeed," he told constituents.
On his solo campaign to Kediri, East Java, Wiranto's running mate Solahuddin Wahid met thousands of National Awakening Party (PKB) supporters, to whom he promised to leave Wiranto if the retired general prevented him from promoting the rule of law and human rights.
"If my duties are taken over, I will resign, because I cannot work if I'm not trusted," said Solahuddin, the brother of PKB co- founder Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid.