President, VP seek full campaign schedule<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Despite the rigid campaign ruling issued by the General Election
\nCommission (KPU), President Megawati Soekarnoputri and Vice
\nPresident Hamzah Haz will be allowed to campaign for their
\nrespective parties any day they desire during the 20-day election
\nperiod starting on March 11.<\/p>\n
Of greater concern to some citizens is whether there will be a
\npower vacuum while the President and the Vice President are out
\nin the provinces focused on party issues, and neglecting national
\nissues in Jakarta. This arrangement was decided upon during a
\nlimited Cabinet meeting presided over by Megawati at the State
\nPalace here on Friday.<\/p>\n
Home Minister Hari Sabarno reiterated after the meeting that
\nMegawati and Hamzah were given the green light to campaign for
\ntheir parties -- on their own holiday time -- because there is no
\nregulation on vacations for the country's two top officials.<\/p>\n
He said the President and the Vice President would have to
\ncoordinate their schedules so that one was always in the capital
\nduring the campaign season.<\/p>\n
"Based on that reasoning, the two top state officials could
\narrange their own schedule for the legislative election campaign
\nprovided that at least one of them is present in the capital each
\nday during the campaign season," he said.<\/p>\n
Chapter 37 of KPU Regulation No. 701\/2003 stipulates that
\nstate officials with political parties, including the President
\nand Vice President are prohibited from using state facilities
\nduring the campaign period, required to take unpaid leave and
\nmust hand over their party's campaign schedule of events to KPU
\nseven days before they campaign.<\/p>\n
State officials in the judiciary, from the central bank, the
\nSupreme Audit Agency, state-owned companies, career government
\nofficials and village heads are prohibited from being involved in
\nelection campaigns.<\/p>\n
Hari said the preparation of a government regulation on
\nelection campaigning for state officials with political parties
\nhas already been completed and would be officially issued before
\nMegawati left for Iran on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Megawati hopes that she can campaign for her Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) as well as she did in 1999,
\nwhen PDI-P was the top vote-getter, in order that the party can
\ncontrol as much of the legislature as possible. Hamzah in his
\ncapacity as chairman of the United Development Party (PPP) will
\nmake use of the campaign season in bid to improve his party's
\nperformance in the elections, despite a major split since 1999
\nled by Zainuddin M.Z. to set up the Reform Star Party. PPP
\nfinished in the top three in 1999.<\/p>\n
Other state officials from political parties, including
\nministers, governors, regents and mayors are required to take
\nofficial leave.<\/p>\n
From the Cabinet, 14 ministers will take leave to be
\ncampaigners during the campaign season, and possibly two will
\nresign to run as candidates.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/president-vp-seek-full-campaign-schedule-1447893297",
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