Mass rallies may be banned in campaigning<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The 53 members of the newly established National
\nElections Committee (KPU) are to convene on Monday morning to
\ndiscuss a draft code of conduct for election campaigning, which
\nincludes a ban on mass mobilization of supporters.<\/p>\n
Other stipulations cover adherence to the law, freedom from
\nfear and pressure, prohibition of bribery, transparency of
\ninformation and equal rights and treatment.<\/p>\n
Government representative on the committee Andi A.
\nMallarangeng promised to abide by the now disbanded Team of
\nEleven's recommendation that no mass rallies should be held
\nduring the 20 designated campaign days.<\/p>\n
\"No mass mobilization or rallies. Parties can campaign through
\npublic debates on television, in newspapers... and through dialog
\ncampaigning,\" he said Friday after the drawing of parties'
\nnumbers.<\/p>\n
Committee chairman Gen. (ret) Rudini concurred.<\/p>\n
Scheduled for May 18 until June 4, election campaigning is
\nconsidered the most inflammable period for clashes and riots.<\/p>\n
\"There's no need for massive rallies during campaigning...
\nbut the KPU has to agree on this as a whole,\" Rudini said.<\/p>\n
Both Rudini and Andi said they were lobbying the poll
\ncontestants to decide against street rallies.<\/p>\n
\"So far some of them agreed, also on sanctions that should be
\nimposed on violators. For instance, a political party could be
\ndisqualified if proven to be involved in clashes,\" Rudini added.<\/p>\n
Another government representative, former justice Adi Andojo
\nSoetjipto, cited the infeasibility of all 48 contenders taking
\nturns holding street rallies during the short time period.<\/p>\n
\"(Rallies) will only be ineffective. Rioting could even foil
\nthe poll,\" he said on Saturday.<\/p>\n
He called on party leaders to be role models for their
\nsupporters in their campaign behavior.<\/p>\n
\"Do not exploit rhetoric on ethnicity, religion or race which
\nwill only incite tension or anger.\"<\/p>\n
Representatives of the political parties on the committee
\ndiffered on how far the code of conduct should extend.<\/p>\n
\"We do not want any bloodshed. We basically agree not to have
\nmass rallies despite them being the most effective means to
\nattract people, but the committee must find a better campaigning
\nmethod,\" said Hasballah M. Saad of the National Mandate Party
\n(PAN).<\/p>\n
Sri Bintang Pamungkas of the Indonesian Uni-Democracy Party
\nsaid he agreed there should be more public debates and dialogs.<\/p>\n
\"Let's contest (our skills) in debating ideas and concepts,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Abdul Rahman Saleh of the Crescent Star Party was also in
\nfavor, but warned of the possibility the major parties, with
\ngreat resources at their disposal, would break the agreement.<\/p>\n
Finland<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Finland has invited an Indonesian delegation
\nconsisting of election contestants, poll watch organizations,
\npoll committees and media representatives to study an election in
\nthe country on March 21, Antara reported.<\/p>\n
The news agency quoted Finland Ambassador to Indonesia Hannu
\nHimanen as saying on Saturday the invitation was part of the
\ntechnical assistance from his government in the preparation for
\nthe June 7 general election.<\/p>\n
The news agency said a 12-member delegation to visit Finland
\nwould include members of KPU, Golkar Party, PAN, the National
\nAwakening Party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, the
\nIndependent Election Monitoring Committee, the University Network
\nfor Free and Fair Elections and the Indonesian Rectors Forum.<\/p>\n
The news agency said the delegation would embark on a five-day
\nvisit to study the election of about 200 members of Finland's
\nparliament.<\/p>\n
Antara also said Finland contributed about US$200,000 through
\nthe United Nations Development Program to assist the June polls,
\nwhich will be the first since the end of Soeharto's 32-year rule.<\/p>\n
The UNDP has signed a memorandum of understanding with
\nMinister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas, stating it would
\ncoordinate foreign countries' donations for the polls.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile in Denpasar, Bali, leading poll watch activist
\nMulyana W. Kusumah called on Saturday for a government regulation
\nto curb money politics and enforce a code of conduct among
\nparties to prevent violence.<\/p>\n
In Semarang, Central Java, chairman of Diponegoro University's
\nStudent Senate Firdaus Diponegoro was quoted as saying by Antara
\nthat the university would boycott the polls if election
\nregulations were manipulated to serve the interests of those in
\npower. (edt\/byg)<\/p>",
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