Councillor faces trial for early campaigning<\/p>\n
Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Bogor<\/p>\n
The Bogor District Court began on Thursday the trial on
\ncouncillor Rizal Barnadi from the National Mandate Party (PAN)
\nfaction for violating a law on early campaigning.<\/p>\n
Prosecutor Nasran Azis said the defendant distributed
\ncalendars featuring photographs of PAN chairman Amien Rais,
\nhimself and three fellow councillors running in the April 5
\nlegislative election.<\/p>\n
The prosecution accused him of deliberately giving out the
\nfreebies at a meeting with residents of Kampung Babakan Sirna,
\nTegalega, Central Bogor district, at the home of PAN supporter
\nGlen Kurdianto held on Jan. 27.<\/p>\n
The calendars also bore the slogan: \"Amien Rais is my
\npresident, PAN is my choice; remember on April 5, pierce the
\nsymbol of the sun\". Aside from the calendars, the defendant
\nallegedly distributed another set of calendars bearing a
\nphotograph of himself.<\/p>\n
The case was brought forth by the Central Bogor Election
\nSupervisory Committee (Panwaslu) based on a tip-off from Soekmana
\nSoma, a local resident and PAN member.<\/p>\n
\"We only named the defendant and not the other three, because
\nit was he who distributed the calendars,\" Central Bogor Panwaslu
\nchairman Achmad Damanhuri said after the hearing presided by
\njudge Saripudin.<\/p>\n
The defendant denied the charges, claiming that the calendars
\nhad already been distributed by a PAN official before his arrival
\nat the meeting.<\/p>\n
\"I was invited as a councillor to observe developments in that
\nvillage, and it had nothing to do with the party,\" Rizal told
\nreporters.<\/p>\n
Rizal also questioned the credibility of Soekmana Soma.<\/p>\n
\"He may have harbored resentment against me, because he did
\nnot pass the Council's screening for the recent regental
\nelection,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/councillor-faces-trial-for-early-campaigning-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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