Parties break rules, big money for 'supporters'<\/p>\n
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
For many young people in Jakarta's kampongs, the 22-day official
\ncampaign period this month is manna from heaven -- free T-shirts
\nand money.<\/p>\n
\"Today we are on the Golkar wagon. Yesterday, it was PDI
\nPerjuangan, and tomorrow we'll be shouting for PAN,\" ojek
\n(motorbike taxi) driver Sumino said.<\/p>\n
\"There's no problem as long as we are paid,\" he said adding
\nthat he earned Rp 70,000 a day.<\/p>\n
Dozens of Sumino's fellow ojek drivers work at the Bumi Pelita
\nKencana housing compound in Pondok Cabe, Pamulang, Banten.<\/p>\n
Each day now involves carnival-like processions decked out in
\nthe T-shirts of the party he is \"supporting\" at that particular
\ninstance. Sumino claims he now has more party T-shirts than he
\ncan count. The political parties, Sumino says, pay Rp 30,000 for
\nevery two hours of campaigning on average.<\/p>\n
But Sumino is not apolitical. Coming from the Central Java
\ntown of Klaten, his family traditionally supports the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan). He said he would
\ndefinitely vote for the PDI-Perjuangan in the April 5 legislative
\nelection.<\/p>\n
The political parties are employing different ways to woo
\nvoters, including directly paying cash and handing out food
\nparcels to voters, even though this is totally against the law.<\/p>\n
Parties that have engaged in such practices include those that
\nare currently campaigning on the basis of clean governance, a war
\nagainst corruption and honest legislative candidates. Activities
\nby parties such as the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) which
\ninclude selling staple food for low prices, may still raise
\neyebrows.<\/p>\n
Article 77 of Law No. 12\/2003 bars candidates from offering
\n\"money or other forms of material\" in an attempt to secure votes.
\nBesides the disqualification of candidates, violations of the law
\nalso carry a maximum sentence of 12 months and a maximum fine of
\nRp 10 million (US$1,176). But so far, not one party has been
\nbrought to book.<\/p>\n
All have denied engaging in money politics, arguing that they
\nare only trying to maintain their supporters' loyalty and
\ninfluence the \"swing vote\".<\/p>\n
Jacob Tobing, a strategist for the PDI Perjuangan, which is
\nled by Megawati Soekarnoputri, the current president, said it was
\nonly natural to \"compensate\" people for attending rallies.<\/p>\n
\"Of course, the voters are paid without any obligation to cast
\ntheir votes for the PDI Perjuangan,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) has warned a
\nnumber of parties, including the PDI Perjuangan and Golkar,
\nagainst vote-buying.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/parties-break-rules-big-money-for-supporters-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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