Rule violations abound in campaign's first 9 days<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government and the three parties agreed
\nyesterday there had been an abundance of rule infringements in
\nthe first third of the 27-day election campaign.<\/p>\n
"Improve your campaigning and stop the violations," Yogie
\nS.M., the General Elections Institute chairman, told the leaders
\nof the United Development Party (PPP), Golkar and the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI).<\/p>\n
"We are now in the third round of the election campaign. There
\nshould not be any more problems in the remaining rounds of
\ncampaigning," he told reporters afterward.<\/p>\n
Also yesterday, Armed Forces Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung said
\nthere had to be no more street rallies or vehicle convoys for the
\nrest of the campaign.<\/p>\n
"All procedures have been clearly spelled out. Street rallies
\nand motorcades are prohibited," he said, without elaborating what
\naction the authorities might take to prevent motorcades.<\/p>\n
And Election Supervision Committee Chairman Singgih said that
\nall three contestants had violated campaign rules in the first
\nweek of campaigning.<\/p>\n
He categorized the infringements as administrative, political
\nand criminal in nature. He also said there were 14 campaign
\nparticipants currently being questioned for criminal offenses,
\nincluding those involved in the attack on two PPP offices in
\nYogyakarta last Wednesday.<\/p>\n
"The infringements I mentioned excluded traffic violations,
\nwhich have also been very numerous," he said.<\/p>\n
He refused to mention which contestant committed the most
\nviolations but conceded that some had been committed by people
\nwho were not affiliated to any of the political parties.<\/p>\n
PPP deputy chairman Jusuf Syakir and Golkar secretary-general
\nAry Mardjono agreed.<\/p>\n
"Our party's flags were removed, our supporters were pelted
\nwith stones (by unidentified people) seeking to provoke our
\nsupporters to fight back and violate rules," Jusuf said.<\/p>\n
Ary cited attacks on houses and properties belonging to Golkar
\nmembers, removal of the grouping's flags as well as physical
\nthreats against its members.<\/p>\n
However, he conceded that there were Golkar members who were
\ninvolved in banned street rallies.<\/p>\n
As for the Golkar supporters' attack on two PPP offices in
\nYogyakarta, Ary said the public should wait for the results of
\nthe police investigation.<\/p>\n
Sajid Soetjoro, a PDI deputy chairman, complained about local
\nadministrators' unfair treatment toward the party. He cited the
\nNorth Barito regent in Central Kalimantan who ordered PDI flags
\nand banners to be removed from his area.<\/p>\n
Speaking in Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, PDI chief Soerjadi
\ncalled on the government to relax the campaign rules.<\/p>\n
"I wonder if the government has the wisdom and is willing to
\nlearn from (the past campaign days) and avoid rigid rules," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said the government's ban on street rallies had taken the
\nsparkle out of the campaign.<\/p>\n
"The general election is dubbed a fiesta of democracy, but
\nthis year it is anything but because the government has imposed
\ntoo many restrictions," he complained.<\/p>\n
Soerjadi suggested that the government ban street rallies only
\non pivotal main roads, but let supporters of each poll contestant
\nto parade around kampongs.<\/p>\n
"Street rallies stimulate social contact between a political
\norganization and its grassroots supporters," he said.<\/p>\n
He also criticized the police for preventing the PDI's South
\nJakarta branch from distributing plastic bags bearing the party's
\nbull's head symbol to shoppers Thursday. He said the program had
\nbeen impromptu.<\/p>\n
"I don't know the reasons for banning the glad-handing which
\nwould have had a minimal possibility of inciting conflict," he
\nsaid. (imn\/amd)<\/p>\n
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