REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MAGELANG -- Mobs from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) and the Ka'bah Youth Movement, which is a wing of the United Development Party (PPP), clashed in Muntilan, Magelang Regency, Central Java, Sunday (15/10/2023) afternoon. The meeting of the two mobs triggered the throwing of stones and the destruction of motor vehicles.

The scene was ironic because PDIP and PPP were part of a coalition supporting presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo. Unfortunately, at the grassroots, the two masses are actually straining each other.

This is due to historically antagonistic nature of the two parties during the New Order under President Soeharto. PDIP, the red party, is known for it staunch nationalism, and the green PPP at a time was the only outlet for political Islam.

According to Magelang Police Commissioner Kombes Ruuh Wicaksono, the trigger for a clash between the masses in Muntilan resulted from complaint against the excessive sound from the motorcicle exhaust of one of the passing masses. He said that one of the groups that had finished holding activities in Mungkid, Magelang related to the campaign was about to go home in the direction of Yogyakarta.

However, it is suspected that there was friction in the streets, because one party did not receive the sound of the muffler that continued to be heard until the two groups met.

“There are community activities then there are intersections,” Ruuth said when contacted by Republika.co.id in Magelang, Central Java, Sunday evening.

It also revealed that there had been a stone throwing action between groups of mobs. “One of the groups coming home intersected with the other group and ended up throwing stones. It wants to go home to Yogya, Simpang Tape Ketan (Muntilan) is installed so it can't go home,” Ruuth confirmed.

In the chronology obtained by Republika.co.id from the Magelang Police Department, 11 motors were damaged, two houses had broken windows, and the Orphan Orphanage Putri Aisiyah also suffered broken glass. It is indicated that the group of the perpetrators of the destruction was Laskar BSM Muntilan from PDIP and the vandalized citizens' vehicles belonged to members of GPK ormas under PPP.

Still, there is no immediate comments from both parties.

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