Councilor queries limit on supporters

Councilor queries limit on supporters

JAKARTA (JP): A councilor said the election rule limiting
supporters at a campaign site to only those living in the
mayoralty was absurd.

Sahala P. Sinaga, secretary to the city chapter of the
Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), said yesterday, it would be
impossible for police to determine where a supporter came from.

"Police would have difficulty checking all those people,"
Sahala said.

Thousands of people at one site are expected to be in "general
assemblies" which are held in open places, where "healthy
entertainment" is allowed. "Mass gatherings" are to be held in
open and closed spaces. Transporting supporters is also expected
to involve crowds.

Sahala added that, unlike subdistrict campaigns, district and
mayoralty campaign levels would involve transporting a great
number of supporters for the mass gatherings.

The 27-day campaign period has been set from April 27 to May
23, with each contestant campaigning nine times, once every three
days.

In order to transport supporters safely, PDI has trained 500
task force members. He also said, they are required to anticipate
areas that could be riot-prone during campaigning such as
Pademangan and Penjaringan districts in North Jakarta and
Matraman in East Jakarta. (11)