Misuses of state facility to rise: Observer<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Misuses of state facilities are likely to be the most common
\nelection violations, according to the Elections Supervisory
\nCommittee (Panwaslu) and the Elections Advocacy Analysis
\nInstitute (LKAP).<\/p>\n
LKAP director Eko Prasojo said on Tuesday that misuses of
\nstate facilities would account for around 40 percent of
\nviolations in the upcoming elections, compared to 5.5 percent in
\nthe 1999 elections.<\/p>\n
"Instances in which state facilities are improperly used are
\npart of the efforts of parties currently in power to maintain
\npower," he said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia will hold its general election on April 5, with the
\ncampaign period running from March 11 until April 1. A total of
\n24 political parties will contest the general election. The
\npresidential election is scheduled for July 5, with a possible
\nrunoff on Sept. 20.<\/p>\n
Deputy chairman of Panwaslu Saut H. Sirait said that LKAP had
\nconducted a study of possible election violations at the request
\nof Panwaslu.<\/p>\n
Eko claimed that political parties that could potentially
\nmisuse state facilities during the campaign period included the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), and Golkar.<\/p>\n
"Misuses of state facilities would be in line with the total
\nvotes obtained by political parties in the 1999 elections," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
In the 1999 elections, PDI-P obtained the most votes, followed
\nby Golkar, the United Development Party (PPP), the National
\nAwakening Party (PKB), the National Mandate Party (PAN), and the
\nCrescent Star Party (PBB).<\/p>\n
According to Eko, state officials that are also executives of
\npolitical parties would use several methods to misuse state
\nfacilities for their own interests.<\/p>\n
Among those methods were: making important decisions that
\nbenefited their political parties, using state facilities
\ndirectly, such as official cars, treating other parties unfairly,
\nand using official visits to other regions for campaign purposes.<\/p>\n
Separately, the Coalition against Violence toward Journalists
\n(KAKTW) issued a statement on Tuesday that violence during the
\nelections must be avoided at all costs.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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