All candidates involved in money politics: TI

Moch. N. Kurniawan, Jakarta

Transparency International (TI) Indonesia alleges that all five presidential candidates have been involved in some form of vote- buying, known as money politics, during their electoral campaigns.

Anung Karyadi, TI Indonesia's senior executive, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday that it included distribution of free basic commodities, free medical services and transportation fees.

The five candidates and their running mates are Wiranto and running mate Solahuddin Wahid, Megawati Soekarnoputri and Hasyim Muzadi, Amien Rais and Siswono Yudohusodo, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Jusuf Kalla, and Hamzah Haz with his running mate Agum Gumelar.

Most of the campaign managers, according to Anung, handed out transportation fees of Rp 20,000 to Rp 35,000 to people who came to campaign events.

Anung said other "donations" included the campaign workers for Megawati, who provided free dengue mosquito abatement spraying for 14 days in many areas of South Sumatra, while Amien donated fertilizer in Kalimantan, and campaign activists for Susilo handed out rice in Bali.

"If those activities are carried out during the campaign period, it is considered 'money politics', and is part of efforts to influence people to vote for them," he said.

He said such irregularities were discovered during TI Indonesia's monitoring in 53 areas across the country including North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Riau, Jambi, South Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi and all of the provinces on Java.

"We will report the cases as soon as possible to the Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu)," he stated.

Such techniques were considered to be widespread during the campaigns for the April 5 legislative election.

Almost all the political parties, however, denied that what they had done was in any way a violation, but admitted that they did occasionally reimburse supporters for transportation fees.

Hamzah, who has been nominated by the Muslim-based United Development Party (PPP), denied all charges, saying that the accusations were baseless.

"We still need more funds to finance our campaigns, how can we be accused of 'money politics'...," Hamzah was quoted by Antara as saying on Saturday.

But he said that there was a budget allocation to reimburse supporters' transportation fees, which is considered legitimate.

Abdillah Toha, a prominent member of the Amien-Siswono campaign team, said they had no policy for reimbursing transportation fees.

He also said that he did not have any information about the distribution of free fertilizer allegedly done by Amien and Siswono themselves in Kalimantan.

"We have never had such a policy," he said.

Slamet Effendi Yusuf, chairman of Wiranto's campaign team, said that the allegation was defamatory.

"Of course we give money to our campaign activists to hire trucks, buses and other things during the campaign. But that is not a violation. You can say that only if we specifically buy votes, but we have not done that," he said.

Sonny Keraf, treasurer of Megawati campaign team, said that the reimbursement of transportation fees should not be categorized as vote-buying.

"If we hold a campaign rally, we'll invite supporters to come to the site. I think it is only natural that we reimburse them. These people should not be so childish by saying that we are buying votes," he whined.

He added that in Central Java, the campaign team had provided free lunch for the rally participants, which should be considered an ordinary activity.

Regarding free dengue abatement in South Sumatra, Sonny said it was conducted as part of our "social activities" there.

Campaigners for Susilo were not contacted.

However, the Panwaslu branch in Megawati's stronghold of Bali is still debating whether the Susilo-Kalla campaign team committed a violation by distributing free rice to people in Denpasar. Some of the Panwaslu members said it was a form of vote-buying, while others maintained that there was no violation.