ID :
51759
Sun, 03/22/2009 - 17:38
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/51759
The shortlink copeid
PKS STAGES MORE OPEN CAMPAIGN RALLIES TO REDUCE ABSTAINERS
Mataram, W Nusa Tenggara, March 22 (ANTARA) - The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) is trying to stage more open campaign rallies in a number of regions in a bid to reduce the number of voting abstainers (golput), a former party chief said.
"Only a few political parties are staging open campaign rallies and PKS does it in an effort to increase the people's awareness to reduce golput," Hidayat Nurwahid, the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) speaker, who was also former PKS president said here Sunday.
Nurwahid made the statement in response to journalists' question about the party's stance relating to assumptions that PKS would gain benefit if many people choose to be "golput" in the upcoming legislative election.
The MPR chairman who came to NTB to campaign for his party said PKS is always solid in every stage of the general elections, so the larger the number of golput, the more benefit PKS will get.
"Although many elements said PKS will even gain benefit with the rising number of golput, we also wish a greater number of people will participate in the legislative general election," he said before leaving for Bengkulu province in Sumatra to campaign in PKS's other rallies.
He said further that the Indonesian Council of Ulema (MUI) had issued its Fatwa (edict) saying that golput is forbidden, which was aimed to increase the people's participation in the upcoming general election.
Certain elements had related the MUI's edict with PKS as if the edict was issued for the sake of PKS.
Thus, it has become all parties' duty including PKS and the press to make the people aware to avoiding the golput, he said, adding that the party has set a target to gain 20 percent of votes in the April 9 polls.
A three-week open campaigning activity was nationally kicked off on Monday (March 16) and will last until April 5.
A total of 38 political parties across the country and six local parties in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) province, will participate in the legislative elections on April 9, while the direct presidential election is scheduled on July 8, 2009. ***1***
(B003/ ).
"Only a few political parties are staging open campaign rallies and PKS does it in an effort to increase the people's awareness to reduce golput," Hidayat Nurwahid, the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) speaker, who was also former PKS president said here Sunday.
Nurwahid made the statement in response to journalists' question about the party's stance relating to assumptions that PKS would gain benefit if many people choose to be "golput" in the upcoming legislative election.
The MPR chairman who came to NTB to campaign for his party said PKS is always solid in every stage of the general elections, so the larger the number of golput, the more benefit PKS will get.
"Although many elements said PKS will even gain benefit with the rising number of golput, we also wish a greater number of people will participate in the legislative general election," he said before leaving for Bengkulu province in Sumatra to campaign in PKS's other rallies.
He said further that the Indonesian Council of Ulema (MUI) had issued its Fatwa (edict) saying that golput is forbidden, which was aimed to increase the people's participation in the upcoming general election.
Certain elements had related the MUI's edict with PKS as if the edict was issued for the sake of PKS.
Thus, it has become all parties' duty including PKS and the press to make the people aware to avoiding the golput, he said, adding that the party has set a target to gain 20 percent of votes in the April 9 polls.
A three-week open campaigning activity was nationally kicked off on Monday (March 16) and will last until April 5.
A total of 38 political parties across the country and six local parties in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) province, will participate in the legislative elections on April 9, while the direct presidential election is scheduled on July 8, 2009. ***1***
(B003/ ).
