University bans campus campaigning<\/p>\n
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra<\/p>\n
The University of North Sumatra (USU) announced on Tuesday that
\nit would not allow any political party to use its campus for
\ncampaigning ahead of the upcoming elections.<\/p>\n
Mass campaigning or that via meetings are banned, the
\nuniversity's senate said.<\/p>\n
USU leaders said the decision was made to maintain the USU's
\npolitical neutrality and to avoid the possibility of clashes in
\nthe campus.<\/p>\n
A member of the senate, Jhon Tafbu Ritonga, who is a deputy
\nrector for student affairs, said the decision to prohibit
\npolitical parties from campaigning in the USU campus was final.<\/p>\n
It was unanimously agreed upon by all members of the senate in
\na recent meeting, he said.<\/p>\n
\"About 100 senate members supported the move to ban political
\ncampaigning in the campus. We shall stick to our decision,\" Jhon
\ntold The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
He said the ban was in line with suggestions by USU professors
\nfor their campus not to be used as an arena for political
\ncampaigning.<\/p>\n
According to the professors, political campaigning in the
\ncampus would not benefit higher learning institutions but instead
\ncould create new problems because politicians -- whether or not
\ncorrupt -- would take advantage of the campus to present a
\n\"cleansed\" version of themselves.<\/p>\n
\"If we were to allow political campaigning in the campus,
\nevery legislative candidate who passed screening by the General
\nElections Committee (KPU) could campaign here, while, at the same
\ntime, university students across Indonesia are campaigning
\nagainst unscrupulous politicians.<\/p>\n
\"This is a problem because we cannot allow politicians to
\ncampaign in campuses. It could spark conflicts of interest,\" said
\nJhon.<\/p>\n
North Sumatra General Elections Commission (KPU) chairman
\nIrham Buana Nasution commented that the decision for USU to ban
\npolitical campaigns on its campus was its prerogative.<\/p>\n
The decision should be respected by all political parties, he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
Even though the elections law allows parties to campaign in
\ncampuses, Irham said, state or private universities had their own
\nright to ban such political events.<\/p>\n
Elections Law No. 12\/2003 and KPU Regulation No. 701\/2001 on
\ncampaigning stipulate that campuses may host political campaigns
\nahead of general elections.<\/p>\n
\"The KPU cannot do anything if the USU has decided to ban
\ncampaigning from its campus. We accept that if the decision is
\nalready final, we should respect it. We have handed over the
\nentire mechanism to universities,\" Irham said.<\/p>\n
Political parties are scheduled to engage in campaigning from
\nMarch 11 to April 1, four days before Indonesia holds general
\nelections to select legislative candidates.<\/p>",
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