East Java's BEM to abstain from elections<\/p>\n
SURABAYA: Members of East Java's Student Executive Board (BEM)
\nagreed on Tuesday to abstain from voting in the 2004 general
\nelection to protest what they see as the undemocratic election
\nbill recently passed into law.<\/p>\n
The agreement was made during a two-day meeting of BEM members
\nin the East Java capital of Surabaya. Around 150 representatives
\nfrom 80 universities in the province attended the meeting, which
\nended on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\"We are not calling on other people (not to vote), but we are
\ntrying to develop a public discourse aimed at improving the
\nelectoral system,\" Deyisnil Fariadi, a member of the meeting's
\nsteering committee, said.<\/p>\n
He said the decision not to vote was not intended as a boycott
\nof the 2004 elections.<\/p>\n
\"During the meeting we agreed on six issues, including the
\nrejection of the election law, in particular Article 60 on
\n(former) political prisoners, Article 74 on campaigns on campuses
\nand Article 75 on state officials being allowed to campaign,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The new law also threatens with jail those campaigning or
\ncalling for a boycott of elections. --Antara<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/east-javas-bem-to-abstain-from-elections-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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