Quest for suitable campaign rules<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): The United Development Party (PPP) and the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party (PDI) behaved in a predictable manner
\nto the official-set election campaign guidelines -- they made
\nmuffled sounds of protest but accepted them.<\/p>\n
Golkar dismissed the protests and accepted the regulations
\ncompletely.<\/p>\n
The PPP and PDI have aired basically similar grievances. They
\ndoubted the rules would put them on the same foothold with
\nGolkar, which, with great material and human resources at its
\ndisposal, has access to voters all year round.<\/p>\n
The government eventually made some changes, including lifting
\na planned ban on political parties campaigning in rural areas.
\nBut the PPP and PDI agreed that it was a small concession given
\nthat they could not take full advantage of those changes.<\/p>\n
"We have no cadres to run our campaigns in villages," PPP's
\nchairman, Ismail Hasan Metareum, said recently. In addition,
\nlimited financial and human resources hampered its way.<\/p>\n
"How can the PPP and PDI fight against Golkar when we have no
\nchance of introducing our programs to people in villages and
\nremote areas?" he asked then.<\/p>\n
The minority parties objections to the rules reflected their
\ndoubt that the government -- as the election organizer -- could
\nbe impartial and that they would be exempted from discriminatory
\ntreatment from the bureaucracy.<\/p>\n
This doubt was expressed during the three contestants'
\nmeetings in October last year, with the National Council for
\nDefense and Security, which President Soeharto commissioned to
\ndraw up the draft guidelines. Representatives of the PPP and PDI
\nstruggled to have the rules revised there and then, citing the
\nsame reason that Golkar used to accept the guidelines: a quality
\nelection.<\/p>\n
Their protests failed, as did their subsequent suggestion that
\nopen debates be held among the three contestants. Golkar
\ndismissed it.<\/p>\n
"We don't need to imitate the election campaigns in liberal
\ncountries," Golkar leader Abdul Gafur said as the reason for his
\nparty's refusal.<\/p>\n
The council's secretary-general, Soekarto, agreed. "The
\nvarious (missions) that the contending parties offer during the
\nelection are not to be debated because each has different
\nconcepts to offer. Debates on them would be futile," Soekarto
\nargued.<\/p>\n
Some analysts have argued that it is precisely the
\ndifferences in the political contestants' visions that should be
\nhighlighted in order to help voters reach their decisions.<\/p>\n
The PPP and PDI had hoped that all of their objections to the
\ncampaign rules would be accommodated in the presidential decree,
\nwhich was issued in December. As it turned out, however, the
\ndecree was accompanied by technical directives from the home
\naffairs minister, information minister and from the National
\nPolice chief, which reportedly caused PPP and PDI even greater
\nfrustration.<\/p>\n
There are, of course, proponents for the rules, who see them
\nas more fitting for the more educated and critical public of
\ntoday. Rhetorics in massive gatherings would not satisfy them as
\nthey did in the previous elections.<\/p>\n
Election campaigning where dialogs are held and street rallies
\nreduced are deemed more in line with the concept of "campaigning"
\nand is hoped to produce a better quality election.<\/p>\n
"Rallies are not campaigning," said Riswandha Imawan, a staff
\nlecturer at the Gadjah Mada University's School of Social and
\nPolitical Sciences in Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
"Campaigns should be held in order to woo public support,
\nrather than just a gathering of one's supporters," he said.<\/p>\n
"Campaigning in the form of dialogs, where audiences and
\nparticipants are not limited to only one political contestant's
\nsupporters, reflects the true sense of campaigning," he said.<\/p>\n
Regardless of whether one method of campaigning is more
\nsuperior than others, most people are certain that Golkar stands
\nto benefit from the reportedly restrictive rules. The dominant
\ngrouping is much better prepared than the other parties.<\/p>\n
"Golkar is the most prepared for either public rallies or
\ndialogs," Riswandha said. "It has not only plenty of quality
\ncampaign speakers but also almost unlimited funds for that
\npurpose."<\/p>\n
Besides, he said, Golkar officials -- from the level of
\ncabinet ministers to the lowest level of bureaucracy -- have
\nconducted early electioneering.<\/p>\n
Majority<\/p>\n
Political observer Amien Rais agreed. "Through various
\nofficial forums and meetings over the past few years, Golkar has
\nconducted 'disguised' election campaigning," he said. "Everybody
\nknows that if a bureaucracy figure lectures, anywhere and
\nanytime, he or she also brings the voice of Golkar."<\/p>\n
He pointed to various detailed directives, including the
\nstipulation to solicit police permission for campaign speakers or
\nfor the use of transportation, as contributing to the
\ndisadvantages that the PPP and PDI experience.<\/p>\n
"Those regulations are strangling the PPP and PDI because
\ntheir campaign speakers would not be able to express their own
\naspirations freely," Amien said. He added that such campaigning
\ncould not benefit the public, who need to be exposed to novel,
\npromising and more realistic perspectives.<\/p>\n
"With such regulations, I doubt we could have heated debates
\nwhich could eventually convince the public of an issue," he said.
\n"Campaign speeches wouldn't be able to beat the popularity of the
\ntelevision comedy show Srimulat."<\/p>\n
Amien speculated that the guidelines were designed to help
\nGolkar retain its majority. Some of the changes made later in the
\nelection campaign rules were not essential enough to ensure
\nquality elections, he argued.<\/p>\n
Besides, directives that were issued later and at the lower
\nlevel might not be translated into actions. "Out there in the
\nfield, the people in charge of polling booths are bureaucrats
\nwearing the uniform of Korpri (Indonesian Civil Servants Corps),
\nwho are, of course, members of Golkar," said Riswandha Imawan.<\/p>\n
"So, how can we hope that election campaigning can serve as a
\npublic education means, so that our people know enough to
\nexercise their rights to vote?" he said. (team)<\/p>",
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