Authorities to remove political banners from major streets
JAKARTA (JP): City authorities will remove banners placed by political parties along major streets because the areas are officially off-limits to the displays, an official said on Thursday.
Banners will be taken down in designated "white areas" where displays, except for government purposes, are prohibited, said the head of public facility orderliness of the city public order office, Tonni Boediono.
He said banner owners failed to notify the city of their placement.
"We will start removing the banners as soon as possible. We are preparing the action now."
Tonni identified white areas as the National Monument (Monas) park and along Jl. Thamrin in Central Jakarta, and Jl. Sudirman and the Semanggi cloverleaf in South Jakarta.
Hundreds of National Mandate Party (PAN) banners and at least one of the ruling Golkar grouping, which expressed Idul Fitri greetings, have been displayed along Jl. Thamrin and Jl. Sudirman.
PAN's blue-and-white banners encircle the farmers' statue near Jl. Prapatan and Jl. Arif Rahman Hakim in Central Jakarta.
The head of City Council Commission A for administrative and public order affairs, Hotma Tambunan, warned the authorities of a "possible war of political banners" in the capital as the June general election nears.
He believed their indiscriminate placement would be an eyesore.
"They should make preparations to put the banners in order as such a policy has been regulated. If not, it is feared their presence will detract from the city's beauty."
Hotma said the authorities should soon promote awareness of regulations on the issue.
"I am afraid that if the administration does not take the proactive step, political parties will display their banners wherever they like.
"We have clear regulations on the issue. The officials are just needed to improve their control. I hope that they will take proper action immediately after they find transgressions and avoid discrimination."
Contacted by The Jakarta Post, PAN's deputy secretary-general Santoso admitted the party had not sought permits, "but the administration has never promoted the regulation and we observed that there were also all kinds of banners in the areas in the past".
He claimed advertising banners were common in the area.
"We will abide by the regulation prohibiting banner displays in certain areas if it is fair and without discrimination. I also question why in the past the administration never implemented the regulation.
"I hope the administration will not only enforce the policy because they are PAN's banners."
Last June, the administration made a similar move to crack down on banners with political messages, especially those calling for an investigation into president Soeharto's wealth and a trial for alleged abuse of power during his 32-year rule. (ind)