Campaigning parties break Day of Silence

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.