Hendropriyono won't campaign for PDI-P<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Hendropriyono stated
\nclearly on Friday that he would not campaign for his party, the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), despite an
\ninstruction from party leader Megawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
Hendropriyono, who is currently on an official visit to
\nPakistan, said that he would put the national interest over party
\ninterest to ensure fairness in the elections.<\/p>\n
\"My loyalty to the country overrides my loyalty to the party,\"
\nthe intelligence chief said in a statement provided to The
\nJakarta Post.<\/p>\n
The statement was made via his assistants at the BIN office in
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
The country will hold the legislative election on April 5,
\nfollowed by the presidential election on July 5, and a possible
\nrunoff on Sept. 20.<\/p>\n
Despite Hendropriyono's statement, PDI-P chair Megawati
\nrefused to exempt him from the party's instruction for all party
\nmembers in the Cabinet to campaign during the election season.<\/p>\n
\"It is up to Pak Hendropriyono whether he is willing to
\nfulfill his party duties or not, but the chairperson has issued
\nthe instruction,\" PDI-P deputy secretary-general Pramono Anung
\ntold the Post.<\/p>\n
He said Megawati, the incumbent President, would let
\nHendropriyono decide the matter on his own. \"Should he decline
\n(to campaign) then that's OK,\" Pramono said.<\/p>\n
The controversy over Hendropriyono's campaign plan came out
\nafter PDI-P listed him as one of the party's national campaigners
\nduring the legislative election campaign period from March 11 to
\nApril 1.<\/p>\n
The listing of Hendropriyono provoked anxiety over possible
\nabuse of intelligence reports in the interests of PDI-P and
\nMegawati, who is aiming to retain the presidency in the upcoming
\nelection.<\/p>\n
No legislation bans government officials from campaigning. A
\nnewly issued government regulation stipulates that all government
\nofficials may campaign for their respective parties, but have to
\ntake leave from their state duties.<\/p>\n
The Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) had earlier
\nasked Megawati to ban the intelligence chief from campaigning for
\nPDI-P.<\/p>\n
Hendropriyono joined PDI-P in 2001 and currently sits as a
\nmember of the party's consultative board.<\/p>\n
As stipulated by Presidential Instruction No.4\/2001, the BIN
\nchief has authority to coordinate all intelligence activities in
\nthe country.<\/p>\n
Using such authority, BIN has the right to collect
\nintelligence reports from the Indonesian Military (TNI), National
\nPolice and prosecutor's offices.<\/p>\n
Separately, Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno welcomed
\nHendropriyono's decision not to campaign for his party.<\/p>\n
\"His response, to withdraw from the list of campaigners, was
\nappropriate,\" Hari said, as quoted by Antara.<\/p>\n
However, he underlined that like other government officials,
\nHendropriyono had the right to participate during the campaigning
\nperiod.<\/p>\n
\"However, I believe he also has the right to reject such a
\nparty instruction,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hendropriyono-wont-campaign-for-pdi-p-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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