SBY joins campaign fray in capital

SBY’s other hat: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono addresses an election campaign rally for his Democratic Party at Bung Karno Stadium in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Friday. (JP/R. Berto Wedhatama)

Election fever has gripped the already hot Jakarta, as hundreds of thousands of Democratic Party supporters brought the capital's traffic to a halt.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono kicked off his party's campaign series on his first day of leave as president at Bung Karno Stadium in Senayan, Central Jakarta.

In his speech, he called on his die-hard fans to continue supporting the Democratic Party.

“We are here to elect a party and a leader that will create improvement for the country within the next five years, a party whose programs are in favor of the people,” said Yudhoyono, who repeatedly yelled out “31”, the party's number on the ballots.

He continued by attributing his administration's success, especially on the issues of national security, law enforcement and the economy, to his party and its leadership.

“If an objective and honest evaluation is made, Indonesia is improving,” said Yudhoyono, greeted by party supporters yelling out his acronym “SBY”.

The campaign also featured performances from the country's top bands, namely Andra and the Backbone, the Changchutters and Ungu. But Yudhoyono, who already has two albums to his name, did not sing at the occasion.

The gathering of Democratic Party supporters created gridlock in the Senayan area, and left commuter abandoned as many buses were hired by party supporters to transport them to the venue.

Elsewhere in the city, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), which together with the Democratic Party dominated the Jakarta legislature five years ago, shared the same schedule.

During its campaign, the Islamic-based party said it planned to double its vote haul in the polls.

“The PKS is seeking to boost its votes in Jakarta from 24 percent to 51 percent this year, because a victory in Jakarta is very important for us. The capital is the country’s development benchmark,” former PKS president and People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Hidayat Nur Wahid said at the Blok S soccer field, South Jakarta.

“If we win here, the public and other parties will continue considering the importance of the PKS.”

Instead of gathering masses at one single site, the PKS held its campaign at five different locations.

PKS president Tifatul Sembiring highlighted the party’s favorite issues of Palestine and the anticorruption movement.

“I call on all of you to vote on April 9, because if you don’t, the votes will go to the wrong candidates who may support corruption,” he said at the Wika parking lot, East Jakarta.

PKS legislator Rama Pratama used the occasion to denounce accusations leveled against him by legislator Abdul Hadi Djamal of the National Mandate Party (PAN) that he was involved in a bribery case related to a pier and airport development project in eastern Indonesia.

“I have been slandered by Abdul Hadi Djamal. The PKS lawyers and I will fight for our party's dignity. Corrupt officials do not like the PKS because our party is clean,” he said.

The PKS campaign in Aceh, however, was more muted as it held sports and social activities in five districts, Antara reported. There had been fears of possible violence in the once war-torn province.

Aceh is fielding candidates from six local parties in addition to those from the 38 national parties.

Former president and Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri began her party’s campaign in Jember, East Java, by criticizing Yudhoyono’s direct cash assistance (BLT) program.

“BLT is meaningless. For a mere Rp 200,000 [US$16.96] people have to crowd like beggars. It would have been better if the money for BLT was spent building roads or public toilets,” she said.

Also taking aim at the government was the Greater Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party chairman Prabowo Subianto, during his party's campaign in Medan.

He accused the government of failing to improve public welfare.

“People demand change because they are fed up with all the lies,” he said. (hwa)