Cirebon Mayor broke election law: Panwaslu

Cirebon Mayor broke election law: Panwaslu

Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Ambon

After a three-day investigation, the Cirebon Election Supervisory
Committee (Panwaslu) has ruled Cirebon Mayor Subardi violated
election rules by campaigning for incumbent President Megawati
Soekarnoputri.

The local Panwaslu had sent its file on the case to Cirebon
Municipality Police Adj. Sr. Comr. Siswandi, so Subardi could
face further police questioning, chairman Wasikin Marzuki said on
Monday.

"We will investigate the case quickly and thoroughly,"
Siswandi said.

Wasikin said Subardi had failed to take leave while
campaigning for Megawati and Hasyim Muzadi on Sept. 16 -- the
third day of official campaigning for the presidential election.
By backing Megawati, the mayor was also guilty of breaching the
law's impartiality principle governing state officials, he said.

Panwaslu said Subardi had violated Article 40 of Presidential
Election Law No. 23/2003, which prohibits government officials
from making decisions or behaving in a manner during the campaign
period that could favor a presidential or vice-presidential
candidate.

If found guilty, Subardi faces a maximum sentence of six
month's jail.

Wasikin said the Panwaslu had decided to charge Subardi in a
plenary session on Monday after it questioned him and four other
witnesses.

Subardi's case surfaced after the Panwaslu discovered a video
compact disc (VCD) showing footage of him participating in a
campaign held on Sept. 16. On the VCD, Subardi is shown
officiating over the establishment of the Mega-Hasyim Campaign
Forum, as well as appealing to people gathered at the meeting to
vote for Megawati.