REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – Since morning on Monday (April 17), people have gathered in front of the branch office of United Development Party (DPC PPP) in Jagakarsa, South Jakarta. They sealed the office with a couple of crossing bamboo to the door of the office.
Near the bamboo, a red tinted banener said “no entry" installed. It was written on a used banner of the ex governor candidate Agus-Silvy. A set of snacks were also found near the door.
Hundreds sacks of basic needs were found in DPC PPP’s office. It was troubling for the people in Jagakarsa. They saw many trucks roaming around their houses, especially at the office of DPC PPP. That was why people gathered on that office.
A citizen, Iwan Setiawan, said hundreds of mass from various element of society gathered to safeguard the office. Iwan claimed to be there since early morning. Iwan and his six other friends safeguarded the office until Tuesday (April 18)
"There are people from FPI, FBR, Bang Japar, Youth of Pancasila, mosque’s officials, and many more,” he said.
According to Iwan, it began when people felt suspicious of the trucks exited from DPC PPP’s office at about 02.00 a.m. There were about four cars and three motorcycles.
Since it was a cool-off period, Iwan said the finding of basic needs parcels was troubling. They decided to safeguard the location. They also closed any access to the office. “No one is allowed to come and go,” said him.
Last Monday, people also sealed the location. Iwan said it was sealed while waiting for the police to came. Police came in the afternoon and said they did not want intervening internal business of the party. They did not want to seal the location. Therefore, people safeguarded it.
Another citizen in Jagakarsa, Bima Rianto, said a number of women walked with packages of basic needs on Monday morning. He said they did not come from Jagakarsa. He deplored the distribution of basic needs in the cool-off period.
"I don’t care whether it was from candidate number two or three. Basically, the distribution of basic need by political parties was troubling,” he said.
A mosque’s official, Ibrahim Arrasyid Ghozi, criticized the clarification made by the party said the packages were prepared for their internal events namely istighotsah. If it was as the party claimed, he said the packages should be distributed by the mosques.
Iwan said people would safeguard the location until the election completed. It was aimed at keeping the good condition of the second round of Jakarta election. He said the activities did not have any affiliation to any candidate or party.
“The finding of basic needs distribution in Jagakarsa was shameful. It damaged the democracy in Jakarta. That’s why people should fight it,” said him.
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