Election contestants may criticize government: Yogie<\/p>\n
SURABAYA (JP): General election contestants will be allowed to
\ncriticize the government in campaign broadcasts, a senior
\nminister said yesterday.<\/p>\n
Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M., who is also head of
\nthe General Elections Institute and a leading member of the
\ndominant political grouping Golkar, made the promise after
\nattending a meeting of village administrators here yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"If they (the three contestants) wish to criticize or offer
\ncorrections to the government, that's fine. But no slander
\nplease,\" Yogie said. \"They can also criticize one another, but
\nthe criticism should not be demeaning. What's important is that
\nthere should be clear concepts and solutions.\"<\/p>\n
The three political groupings -- the Moslem-based United
\nDevelopment Party (PPP), Golkar and the Christian-nationalist
\nIndonesian Democratic Party (PDI) -- are contesting the election,
\nscheduled for May 29.<\/p>\n
The government has recently issued a set of election
\nguidelines. These cover the so-called \"dialog campaign\", during
\nwhich the contestants are to broadcast debates and speeches.<\/p>\n
PPP and PDI have branded the regulations restrictive as texts
\nfor the debates and speeches have to be screened by General
\nElections Institute officials. Golkar, however, has
\nwholeheartedly supported the guidelines, saying they will ensure
\na high-quality election.<\/p>\n
\"The corrections and criticism offered should not be made up,\"
\nYogie said. \"Anybody can criticize. We're not going to let
\npolitical contestants get away with merely smearing other
\ncontestants,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Yogie also reiterated that the institute would impose
\n\"controls and corrections\" on the contestants. \"But don't take
\nthis as censorship. In the past materials for televised election
\ncampaigns had to go through the General Elections Institute,\" he
\nsaid. \"There's nothing new in the procedures.\"<\/p>\n
In the debates politicians will be led by moderators
\nhandpicked by the National Elections Committee.<\/p>\n
\"The contestants may nominate people to be moderators, but the
\ncommittee will make the final decision\" Yogie said.<\/p>\n
Yogie defended \"the system, which is meant to make the
\ncampaign lively as well as nurture democracy without creating
\nunrest.\" The political contestants should prepare their campaign
\nspeakers so they are well versed in issues that are educational
\nto the public.<\/p>\n
Yogie revealed that as of Feb. 18, the General Elections
\nInstitute had received more than 100 complaints from the public
\nover the provisional list of candidates for the House of
\nRepresentatives.<\/p>\n
\"Candidates proven to have committed moral or ideological
\nfaults will be dropped and replaced by the people directly below
\nthem on the list,\" Yogie said.<\/p>\n
Candidates have until March 10 to defend themselves, when the
\nelection institute will announce the final list of candidates.<\/p>\n
Director-General for Sociopolitical Affairs Sutoyo NK
\nidentified candidates that could be dropped as those found to
\nhave violated the state ideology Pancasila or committed crimes or
\n\"immoral acts.\" (25\/swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/election-contestants-may-criticize-government-yogie-1447893297",
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