Muhammad Nur Abdurrahman, Makassar – On March 31 the Concern for the Nation Functional Party (PKPB) held an election campaign rally in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar. Speaking before around one thousand sympathisers, PKPB General Chairperson R. Hartono promised the rebirth of former President Suharto’s New Order regime.

In his speech, Hartono said that after travelled around the archipelago, the retired general came to the conclusion that the ordinary people have a strong desire for [a return] to the conditions when the New Order regime was in power.

“If there are those who deny that during the New Order era Indonesia was able prosper it means that they are fooling themselves”, asserted Hartono at the Mandala Monument in Makassar on Tuesday.

The former army chief of staff even alluded to Indonesia’s current leaders as being unable to maintain Indonesia’s authority. Whereas when the country was led by Suharto, Indonesia was a country that was highly respected.

“When Pak Harto [Suharto] was the leader, this country was never disparaged by other nations. [If] a single grain of sand was taken without permission it mean a challenge”, warned Hartono.

At the end of his speech, Hartono called in the ordinary people to vote for the PKPB, because only in this way will the spirit of Suharto’s leadership be reborn. (mna/djo)

[Translated by James Balowski.]