Surjadi reprimands poll contenders

Surjadi reprimands poll contenders

JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Governor Surjadi Soedirdja, in his
capacity as chairman of the Jakarta branch of the Indonesian
Elections Committee, reprimanded yesterday the three political
groups for breaking the rules.

In a meeting held to evaluate the first three days of
campaigning, Surjadi told Jakarta representatives of the United
Development Party (PPP), Golkar and the Indonesian Democratic
Party (PDI) they should prevent a repeat of the violations in the
next round of election campaigns.

"I ask you to stick to our agreements, and maintain order for
the rest of the campaign period," Surjadi was quoted by his
secretary Bagus Suharyono as saying.

No sanctions have been imposed on any of the political
organizations.

Chairman of Golkar's Jakarta branch Tadjus Sobirin, his PDI
counterpart Lukman Mokoginta, deputy chairman of PPP's Jakarta
branch Saud Rahman, and chairman of the Jakarta branch of the
Election Supervision Committee Fachry Qasim were also present.

Fachry said the motorcade by PPP supporters Tuesday was an
obvious violation of the election rules.

Street rallies are banned in this year's election campaign.
Golkar had planned to protest PPP's violation of the rules, but
its supporters held similar motorcades yesterday in Jakarta and
other cities.

Fachry said the PPP supporters could face criminal charges. He
declined to elaborate, saying the police were investigating.

Bagus declined to comment on the violation by Golkar, saying
the matter would be discussed in the second evaluation meeting
Saturday.

Bagus said Surjadi rapped the three groups over the knuckles
for failing to keep order during their campaign activities in the
capital city.

Saud admitted PPP supporters had made mistakes, and promised
to deliver Surjadi's reproach to the party's leadership board.

"We take the blame for conducting street rallies and for
removing the banners of the other poll contenders (by
supporters)," Saud said.

The Independent Election Monitoring Committee (KIPP) also said
yesterday it was concerned over the violations that have occurred
during the first three days of the campaign.

In a press release signed by secretary-general Mulyana W.
Kusumah, the KIPP warned the government of the immature behavior
of people, especially in the form of unruly street rallies.

"The masses tend to feel they hold power while they are on a
motorcade, committing traffic violations and causing public
anxiety," the statement said.

It also said that vandalism, violence and the government's
favoritism toward Golkar had marred the first three days of the
election campaign.

The KIPP define vandalism as the stealing of flags and banners
belonging to Golkar and the government-recognized PDI.

It revealed a list of violent behavior which included the
beating of a Surabaya-based daily Surya journalist by supporters
of Golkar, the stabbing of a PPP activist in Yogyakarta and
brawls that halted a PDI rally in Surabaya.

"Such violence may pave the way for collective violence if the
government fails to take quick responses to this trend," the KIPP
statement said.

The KIPP concluded that the violations in the first three days
of the campaign could sow apathy among people who are not
involved in the election campaign. (ste/amd)