Controversial quiz ordered shut
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Indramayu/Jayapura
While not declaring a controversial quiz a violation of campaign regulations, the Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) demanded its halt on Thursday.
The quiz, which has been published in national print media and broadcast on private television stations, offers prizes totaling Rp 14.1 billion (US$1.5 million) for answering questions related to the achievements of President Megawati Soekarnoputri's administration over the past three years. The quiz is allegedly sponsored by state-owned enterprises.
Megawati and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will contest the presidential election runoff on Sept. 20.
Panwaslu said the quiz, which has been organized by the little-known Investigation, Mediation and Monitoring Foundation (IMM), had caused a controversy that could impede the basic election principle of fairness, and had the potential to harm either of the presidential candidates.
"We call on the General Elections Commission (KPU) and the Ministry of Social Affairs to suspend the publication of the quiz until the runoff is over," Panwaslu deputy chairman Rozy Munir said here.
The Election Supervisory Committee arrived at its decision after questioning executives of six state-owned companies that pledged to provide the funds for the quiz prizes.
The state-owned companies are Bank Mandiri, BRI and BNI 46, telecommunications company Indosat, oil and gas company Pertamina and coal mining company Bukit Asam.
Panwaslu said the quiz did not constitute a violation of campaign regulations because it was not sponsored by either of the campaign teams.
"As the quiz is not a violation to any election regulations, we are opting not to bring the case to the police for further investigation. If we insisted on pressing charges, the police would simply dismiss them," Panwaslu member Topo Santoso said.
When asked what Panwaslu would do if the KPU, the Ministry of Social Affairs and the IMM ignored its demand that the quiz be halted, Topo said: "We have spoken with the three state banks that agreed to provide funds for the quiz prizes, and they agreed to ignore their pledge to the foundation after we decided on our official stance."
The quiz, however, is not the only case that has concerned the public. The Panwaslu office in Indramayu, West Java, reported on Thursday that postcards bearing the picture of Megawati had been circulating in schools in the regency and the surrounding areas, including Ciamis, Tasikmalaya and Garut.
Panwaslu is still unsure whether the postcards are part of an organized campaign, or were simply sent out by individuals.
Thousands of similar postcards also have been found in Jayapura, Merauke and Jayawijaya in Papua province.
An official with the Jayapura post office, Pieter Manduapessy, said the postcards were sent from an address in Jakarta and the office had no choice but to deliver them.
Local Panwaslu member Friets Ramandey said no steps would be taken to stop the distribution of the postcards because they did not violate campaign regulations.
"The postcards are being sent to individuals and are not publicly distributed. Therefore, they are the same as regular mail," he said.