Jakarta – Supporters of Indonesia's ruling Golkar Party clashed with campaigners of a main opposition party in two West Java towns, leaving nine people injured, reports said Friday.

Golkar supporters, armed with machetes hacked five supporters of the Indonesian Democracy Party Struggle (PDI-S) of Megawati Sukarnoputri in Serang, some 70 kilometres west of here on Thursday, the Antara news agency said.

In Purwakarta, some 80 kilometres southeast of here, Golkar supporters attacked a convoy of PDI-struggle backers passing in front of their chapter office, injuring four, the agency said. The Purwakarta incident lead to a stone-throwing battle that quickly emptied the streets of the town, Antara said.

In Serang, five victims were hacked as their PDI-struggle convoy passed a local Golkar chapter office. The attack angered thousands of PDI supporters who surrounded the office. But no major violence ensued after local security forces dispersed the mob, which had pelted the office and burned several party flags.