Rallies banned in next year's electioneering<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government has issued a new election
\ncampaigning rule, formally banning the street rallies and convoys
\nof political supporters in trucks or on motorbikes that in the
\npast were the highlights of the election period.<\/p>\n
Attorney General Singgih announced yesterday the issuance of
\nGovernment Regulation No. 99\/1996 on Dec. 24. He said
\nelectioneering could only take the form of public assemblies,
\nmedia broadcasts, and leaflets, flyers and other printed matter.<\/p>\n
Singgih used two terms for public assemblies -- namely rapat
\numum (assemblies in open spaces in which people listen to
\nvote-chasers' speeches) and pertemuan umum (a more limited
\ngathering, either in an open or closed space, in which people
\nengage in dialog with the political contestants' vote-chasers).<\/p>\n
The only materials campaigners can deliver during the election
\ncampaign are the political contestants' programs which are based
\non the state ideology Pancasila.<\/p>\n
\"Street rallies are now entirely banned,\" Singgih said, in his
\ncapacity as chairman of the Inspection Board of the National
\nElection Committee.<\/p>\n
Singgih explained the rule was meant to educate the people,
\nincrease their political awareness and strengthen national unity.<\/p>\n
The government this year decided to revise the election
\ncampaign rules and sought to reduce mass rallies, despite
\nprotests by two political parties. The government insisted that
\nmass rallies during past elections usually turned into brawls.<\/p>\n
In addition election campaigning is to be conducted in
\nspecially designated zones. The regulation divides the country
\ninto six campaign regions; each day during the proposed 27-day
\ncampaign period, each political grouping would campaign in two
\nregions.<\/p>\n
Region I is for provinces in Sumatra; region II for provinces
\nin Java; region III for provinces of Bali, West and East Nusa
\nTenggara and East Timor; region IV for provinces in Kalimantan;
\nregion V for provinces in Sulawesi; and region VI for the
\nprovinces of Maluku and Irian Jaya.<\/p>\n
The zoning is meant to prevent supporters of one political
\ngroup from running into another group's supporters, thereby
\nreducing the potential for clashes.<\/p>\n
Singgih, however, reiterated the need to maintain alertness.
\nHe said public assemblies have to be held with proper permits,
\nand it was the responsibility of both security officers and the
\npolitical contestants to safeguard the events.<\/p>\n
Singgih also said that according to the new rule, the police
\nwould have the authority to stop an election campaign gathering
\nshould violations occur.<\/p>\n
Asked about possible measures to be taken against violators,
\nSinggih said it would depend on the kind of violations. He
\ncategorized violations as \"administrative, political, or
\ncriminal\" in nature.<\/p>\n
Administrative violations include, for instance, when
\npolitical contestants present speakers who are different from
\nthose listed when applying for permits.<\/p>\n
An example of what he called a \"criminal offense\" is if
\nspeakers insult the other contestants. He identified as
\n\"political offenses\" violations which cannot be categorized into
\neither of the two previous categories.<\/p>\n
Three political organizations -- the Golkar grouping, the
\nUnited Development Party, and the Indonesian Democratic Party --
\nwill compete in the 1997 general elections.<\/p>\n
The three political organizations will vie for 425 seats in
\nthe 500-member House of Representatives. The remaining 75 seats
\nare reserved for members of the Armed Forces, who do not vote in
\nelections. (08)<\/p>",
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