Debate rises over political campaigns at universities

Agencies, Jakarta

Students constitute one of the largest groups of voters in next year's general elections, but universities throughout the country are wary about opening their doors to political campaigns.

The new election law bans campaigns from campuses unless they have been approved by the campus authority.

Several universities said they wanted to stimulate political debate, but refused to be host to a mass showing of party supporters as commonly seen during campaigns.

Many political parties often include a mass of party supporters in their campaigns as a show of force.

"A campus is, after all, a place to study, and as such it mustn't be mixed with political affairs," said Hadi Suprapto Arifin, spokesman of Padjadjaran University in Bandung, which has decided against political campaigns on its campus.

Hadi said the university was concerned about politics creating a rift among its students.

There is little concern of this at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB): "Isolation means promoting ignorance within the campus," ITB rector Kusmayanto Kadiman told The Jakarta Post, explaining his decision to allow campaigns.

However, he also refused to admit a large mass of party supporters during the campaigns.

Political parties may even get vital feedback from students on how to improve their programs, said Gunarto, dean of the law faculty at the Islamic University of Sultan Agung in the Central Java city of Semarang.

In Yogyakarta, Muhammadiyah University has also opened its doors to political campaigns.

"In fact, we are preparing the various campaign formats that fit our academic environment," said rector Khoerudin Bashori.

Political maturity among students had to be taken into account, said to Koento Wibisono, a lecturer of social politics at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, and the former head of KAGAMA, the university's student association.

"Whether or not political campaigns can be held at campuses depends on how students handle (political) differences," said Koento as quoted by Kedaulatan Rakyat daily last week.

He said it was common for campaigners to overreact or to voice provoking statements, something that would not be a problem if the audience consisted of supporters only. On campus, however, such campaign moves could draw the anger of the opposition, thus Koento suggested that campaigners tone down their statements.

"Campaigns at a university campus are different from those in open areas," said Minister of National Education Abdul Malik Fadjar on Saturday.

"Let them (campaigns) be arranged by the rectors along with the academic community," he said.

The fear of disturbing the peace at universities was likely what lay behind Section G, Article 74 of the election law that bans campaigns at educational institutions.

Students are a fat target for campaigners, as Indonesians may start voting at the age of 17.

However, a number of surveys showed that students were also the ones most likely to not vote in the 2004 elections.

Students have been at the forefront of political reforms since a student movement in 1998 toppled then President Soeharto's three decades of authoritarian rule.

But the slow political changes in the years following, have deepened their anti-political party sentiment.

In Surabaya, student bodies from several universities refused to let any campaigns on their campuses. Disappointed with the new election law, they argued that the upcoming election would be undemocratic, Antara reported.

Daniel Sparringa, a political analyst at Surabaya's Airlangga University, said their refusal made sense because otherwise, the campaigns could turn into a forum for hate.