Violence erupts at Golkar meeting, vehicles destroyed

Puji Santoso and Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post/Pekanbaru/Makassar

Violence triggered by the recent election of a Golkar Party leader in South Sulawesi spread to Siak regency, Riau province, on Sunday night.

As a result, Siak Police deployed dozens of personnel to prevent the riot from escalating as tensions ran high in the regency.

At least one luxury car and three motorcycles were set ablaze by Golkar supporters when the party held a meeting to elect a new local chairman of Siak at around 9:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Two other cars were also damaged in the clash between supporters of rival candidates -- Endang Sukarelawan and Said Muhammad -- who contested the Golkar's chairmanship election.

The violence started after Endang won the election with eight of 14 votes, while Said got only four votes. Two voters abstained.

Said, who was the incumbent Golkar chairman in the regency, had been very optimistic he would secure a second five-year term through the election that started at around 7 p.m.

The defeat of Said, also the chairman of the Siak Legislative Council, sparked anger among his supporters inside Yasmin Hotel on Jl. Suak Sakti, Siak, which housed the meeting.

They and their rivals hurled chairs at one another inside the hotel.

The clash continued outside the hotel with an angry mob of people burning a green Toyota Land Cruiser Turbo van belonging to Said, and damaging two other cars.

Election committee chairman Irvan Gunawan blamed the supporters of one candidate on Monday for inciting the violence. He refrained from naming him.

"For the time being, the Golkar Consultative Meeting has been adjourned until the situation returns to normal," Irvan said.

Siak Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Jaya Suprianto said he sent at least 45 personnel, including Mobile Brigade officers from Riau, to help secure the regency.

"This is a preparatory move in case there is further rioting on a bigger scale," he said on Monday.

Jaya said the police were also investigating Golkar supporters involved in the clash to determine the masterminds behind it.

"To find the brains behind this, we have detained 23 people for intensive interrogation," he added.

A number of local Golkar leaders from Riau, who attended the election, were forced to return home under the tight escort of local policemen.

A similar conflict disrupted the election of a new Golkar leader for South Sulawesi province earlier on Friday.

Some 500 supporters of four organizations affiliated with Golkar blocked the opening ceremony of the meeting in protest over the reelection bid of South Sulawesi Governor Amin Syam who has been chairing the party for 12 years.

The supporters of the four organizations -- the Indonesian Swadiri Employees Organization Union (SOKSI), the Indonesian Reform Youth Force (AMPI), the Golkar Party Youth Force (AMPG) and the United Golkar Women's Party (KPPG) -- arrived at around 6:30 p.m. and immediately disrupted the meeting.

Two steering committee members, who tried to calm people down, were beaten and thrown out of the venue. One of the two victims sustained minor injuries to the nose.

The protesters also ordered all participants to vacate the venue and occupied it, while giving speeches against Amin Syam's bid for a third consecutive term as South Sulawesi's Golkar chairman.

However after more than two hours of negotiations, the meeting resumed and was opened by Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung.

The meeting unanimously reelected Amin Syam on Sunday after his two rival contenders Edy Baramuli, a former South Sulawesi Legislative Council chairman charged with graft, and Ilham Arif Siradjuddin withdrew their nominations.

Golkar is scheduled to hold a national congress in January to elect a new party leader. Akbar, Metro TV owner Surya Paloh, former military chief Gen. (Ret.) Wiranto and Vice President Jusuf Kalla may contest the election.