Students queried over stickers<\/p>\n
PURWOKERTO, Central Java: Four students have been questioned
\nby police for producing and selling stickers calling for people
\nto boycott the May 29 general election.<\/p>\n
Ecep Suwardi Yasa and Chalid Mawardi of the "Walisongo" State
\nInstitute for Islamic Studies, and Abu Hassan and Ory Wulandari
\nof Soedirman University were questioned by police investigator
\nCapt. Abdul Djalal at Banyumas police precinct from Wednesday
\nuntil yesterday.<\/p>\n
The students were represented by lawyers from Yogyakarta,
\nTeguh Purnomo and Sudi Subarkah.<\/p>\n
Ecep and Abu reportedly designed and produced the stickers at
\nEcep's house, while the other two were present. One of the
\nstickers read: "If workers' wages remain low, eviction persists,
\nlaws on politics are not revoked, go Golput!".<\/p>\n
The term Golput (the acronym for Golongan Putih which
\nliterally means "white group") denotes those who either choose
\nnot to vote or who do but invalidate their ballot papers by
\npunching for all three political contestants.<\/p>\n
The stickers were selling from Rp 500 (US$ 21 cents) to Rp
\n1,500. The four students plus another friend, Indra, distributed
\nthe stickers. Some of the money they earned was used to buy a
\nbook entitled Anarki Kepatuhan (The Anarchy of Obedience) which
\nthey discussed among themselves.<\/p>\n
The students argued the right not to vote was protected by
\nlaw. "We have never heard an official statement allowing or
\nforbidding people from choosing the Golput option," one of the
\nstudents said. "We don't know whether we will have to face legal
\nsanctions because we made the stickers."<\/p>\n
The Yogyakarta Legal Aid Institute said the Banyumas police
\nshould handle the case wisely. "The police should be broadminded,
\nand realize the government is not infallible," spokesman Budi
\nHartono said. (wah\/swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/students-queried-over-stickers-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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