Campaigning parties break Day of Silence
The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta/Jakarta
Several political parties continued to campaign across the country on Monday, ignoring a ban on campaigning during Sunday's Hindu Day of Silence and the following national holiday.
The General Elections Commission (KPU) wrote to the State Secretariat on March 12 that campaigns were banned on Sunday on Bali and other areas with Hindu communities. Campaigns were banned on Monday, as it was a national holiday.
Election Law No. 12/2003 authorizes the KPU to set up the campaign schedule. Violations of the campaign schedule carry a penalty of 15 days' to three months' imprisonment or a fine of between Rp 100,000 (about US$11.63) and Rp 1 million.
At least four political parties -- the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Concern for the Nation Functional Party (PKPB), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the Indonesian Democratic Vanguard Party (PPDI) -- campaigned on Monday in various areas.
In Yogyakarta, PAN leader and People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien Rais warned the public of "rotten parties" engaging in "money politics". People should report any evidence to the police, Amien told thousands of supporters.
In Bantul, Yogyakarta, PKPB campaigner Rusdiharjo, a former National Police chief, admitted to about 1,000 supporters that his party was attempting to restore the regime of former president Soeharto, stressing that "The New Order has negative and positive sides".
The party drew ire when PKPB leader Gen. (ret) R. Hartono appealed to people in Yogyakarta to be loyal to Soeharto.
The party is among those alleged of conducting money politics through its distribution of staple foods in Jakarta last week.
PKPB campaign coordinator Vice Adm. (ret) Abu Hartono said on Sunday that the party had received warning from the Jakarta General Elections Commission against conducting any further practices of "money politics". He said the warning was "an overreaction".
The staple food packages were donated by the Maluku Youths Union, an organization which supported the PKPB, Abu said.
Meanwhile, PKPB presidential candidate Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana was unable to make her campaign on Sunday in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, after her chartered Fokker F-28 airplane experienced engine trouble.
In Palu, Central Sulawesi, PKS Palu chapter chairman M. Ali Lamu warned the public of "rotten politicians" while claiming that it was free of corruption.
The controversial National Movement Against Rotten Politicians had earlier published a list naming dozens of legislative candidates suspected of wrongdoings.
In Jakarta, around 4,000 supporters of the Indonesian Nahdlatul Community Party (PPNUI) showed up on Sunday at four designated sports centers.
PPNUI Jakarta chapter head Yamin Arsyad said that, if possible, the party would fight to make education accessible to all.
Also on Sunday, PAN's campaign was among the most festive in the capital, their convoy causing considerable traffic although activities were supposed to be limited to indoor campaigns.
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) campaigned on Sunday while noting the holy day as an aside.
"We congratulate (the Hindu people) and also apologize to them for conducting a campaign today," said PDI-P chairwoman and incumbent President Megawati Soekarnoputri at a rally of her supporters in Bandung, West Java.