An outline of campaign guidelines
JAKARTA (JP): The United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) have grudgingly accepted the government-set rules on campaigning, while Golkar wholeheartedly embraced the rules.
It was decided, for instance, that street rallies and motorcades, which were the highlight of previous election campaigns, would be banned.
Electioneering may now only take the form of public assemblies, media broadcasts, and through the distribution of materials such as posters, placards, leaflets and brochures, slides, films, videocassettes, banners, paintings and other printed materials.
Furthermore, the government uses two terms for public assemblies -- namely rapat umum (large, outdoor public assemblies) and pertemuan umum (smaller, indoor or outdoor meetings for discussion, seminars, symposiums or workshops).
The following is an excerpt of the campaign guidelines:
* Campaigning is to be conducted in specially designated zones. The regulation divides the country into six campaign regions; each day during the proposed 27-day campaign period, each political grouping is to campaign in two regions.
Region I is for provinces in Sumatra; region II for provinces in Java; region III for provinces of Bali, West and East Nusa Tenggara and East Timor; region IV for provinces in Kalimantan; region V for provinces in Sulawesi; and region VI for provinces in Maluku and Irian Jaya.
* Public assemblies may be held between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. local time. The number of participants from the general public should be adjusted to the capacity of the indoor/outdoor spaces.
* Contestants' activists have between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. to hang or post campaign materials such as banners, posters, flags or placards.
* Prior to campaigning, contestants' leaders must first notify police of the form, timeframe and location of the activities.
* The themes and material for campaign speeches should be in line with the State Policy Guidelines, the law and the state ideology Pancasila.
* During the campaign period, no one may question the existence of nor misuse, manipulate or undermine Pancasila or the 1945 Constitution. Contestants are prohibited from casting any doubt on Pancasila and the constitution.
* Contestants are not allowed to slander, defame or undermine the dignity of the government or its officials, any religions or belief in God, any groups, organizations, any other countries or individuals. Nor may they act in any way against Pancasila ethics and morals.
* Contestants are not allowed to pass judgment, belittle or disparage the policies of the government, civilian officials or Armed Forces members.
* No campaign activities may be held at government buildings, houses of worship, school buildings or hospitals.
* It is forbidden for supporters of any contestants to carry or use pictures/paintings of individuals. They are allowed only to display the symbols or attributes of the relevant political groupings.
* When notifying the police of a planned public assembly, the political contestants must include a list of the number and types of vehicles to be used to transport the supporters, name the venue, the number of people to attend, the time, and the route taken to and from the site.
* If open trucks are used as a means of transportation, the vehicles should have sides of at least 0.6 meters high. Motorcyclists must wear helmets.
* The political contestants are responsible for campaign activities proceeding in an orderly and peaceful manner. This includes where supporters initially gather, en route to the site, when they arrive at the campaign site and when they leave it.
* Police may stop campaign speakers who violate the guidelines.
* As soon as an activity is over, contestants must remove all campaign materials and displays within a radius of 500 meters from the campaign site.
* For broadcasts, contestants must submit a script to be scrutinized by a team set up by the election committee. They also must first notify the minister of information.
* Campaign broadcasts are divided into two categories: prerecorded monologs and debates. Monologs will be aired at least twice with a duration of 15 minutes, while debates will be aired seven times at the most for a duration of 30 minutes each.
* In debates -- which may involve 30 people at the most, a moderator will be appointed. Moderators will be neutral and will be appointed by the chairman of the election committee.
* Contestants may not campaign through advertisements or sponsored events on radio or television stations. (swe)