Alvien questioned on early campaign

SEMARANG: The Semarang Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) questioned on Friday Alvien Lie, a legislator and a National Mandate Party (PAN) legislative candidate, for conducting an illegal, early campaign.

The official poll committee questioned Alvien after he produced a calendar urging the public to vote for him in the general elections. Alvien is PAN's Semarang candidate for the House of Representatives (DPR).

The calendar, bearing his and Amien Rais' photographs, also calls upon the people to vote for Amien, PAN's presidential candidate.

Husni Thamrin, a Panwaslu official, said the results of the questioning would be brought to a plenary meeting to be held immediately in order to determine whether Alvien had violated 2004 campaign laws.

The official campaign period is from Mar. 11 to Apr. 1.

Separately, Alvien defended the calendar, saying it had been produced for internal distribution to PAN members. -- JP