Police accused of violating Constitution in VCD bias case<\/p>\n
M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Sr. Comr. Andi Aflus Mapparesa, who last week was removed as
\nchief of Central Java's Banyumas Police, violated the
\nConstitution by giving a speech in support of President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri's candidacy, the Election Supervisory Committee
\n(Panwaslu) said on Monday.<\/p>\n
He broke the underlying principles of impartiality and
\nfairness that police officers must uphold during elections, the
\ncommittee said.<\/p>\n
\"Article 22e (1) of the amended Constitution stipulates that
\nelections must be conducted honestly and fairly, which has also
\nbeen translated into Law No. 23\/2003. And violations of these
\nprinciples by any party, including the police, constitute a grave
\nthreat to the rules,\" Panwaslu member Saut Hamonangan Sirait
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Saut and Panwaslu chairman Komaruddin Hidayat said that
\ndespite the serious violation, no legal action could be taken
\nagainst the officer.<\/p>\n
However, such a breach of the Constitution can only put the
\ncredibility of the police at risk, they said.<\/p>\n
The credibility of the July 5 presidential election has also
\nbeen put at risk by this infraction by a state institution that
\nis meant to remain neutral during the polls, they said.<\/p>\n
Saut said Panwaslu would soon hold a meeting with National
\nPolice chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar to demand that he ensure the
\nimpartiality of his force during the Sept. 20 election runoff.<\/p>\n
\"We will also seek clarification on the VCD case and urge the
\npolice to hand down appropriate measures against the defiant
\nofficer,\" Komaruddin said.<\/p>\n
The chairman of Panwaslu was disclosing the outcome of the
\ncommittee's investigation into alleged electoral violations by
\nthe police after a video, released recently by the University of
\nIndonesia Alumni Association, showed the Banyumas Police chief
\ndirecting his audience to vote for Megawati in the presidential
\nelection.<\/p>\n
The video sparked public outrage, with some alleging that the
\nBanyumas incident was merely the tip of the iceberg.<\/p>\n
Reports have surfaced that local police chiefs held similar
\nclosed-door meetings to tell officers and their families to vote
\nfor certain presidential candidates.<\/p>\n
Panwaslu's investigative team, consisting of committee members
\nMasyhudi Ridwan, Saut and Topo Santoso, did not find any
\nelection-related crime committed by the Banyumas Police chief,
\ndespite the alleged violation of the police's impartiality.<\/p>\n
\"He (Andi) is not a member of the Megawati-Hasyim campaign
\nteam. Therefore, he cannot be charged with violating the Election
\nLaw by campaigning ahead of the designated schedule,\" Masyhudi
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Andi gave the speech on May 29 during a meeting with police
\nofficers' families and retired officers, one day before the
\nmonth-long presidential campaign kicked off.<\/p>\n
As for vote-buying allegations against the Banyumas Police
\nchief, Panwaslu said the distribution of cash to participants of
\nthe meeting was a regular fixture of such meetings.<\/p>\n
In a related development, the Independent Election Monitoring
\nCommittee (KIPP) said the rights of civilians accused by the
\npolice of leaking the video had been violated.<\/p>\n
The KIPP urged the National Commission on Human Rights to
\ninvestigate the matter.<\/p>\n
KIPP executive director Ray Rangkuti said the actions of Puji
\nRahardjo, who has been charged with leaking the video, could have
\nsomething to do with his reported intimidation by police
\nofficers.<\/p>\n
Puji turned himself in to the Banjarnegara Police on Monday
\nfor questioning over the alleged theft of private property.<\/p>",
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