Election contestants may criticize government: Yogie

Election contestants may criticize government: Yogie

SURABAYA (JP): General election contestants will be allowed to
criticize the government in campaign broadcasts, a senior
minister said yesterday.

Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M., who is also head of
the General Elections Institute and a leading member of the
dominant political grouping Golkar, made the promise after
attending a meeting of village administrators here yesterday.

"If they (the three contestants) wish to criticize or offer
corrections to the government, that's fine. But no slander
please," Yogie said. "They can also criticize one another, but
the criticism should not be demeaning. What's important is that
there should be clear concepts and solutions."

The three political groupings -- the Moslem-based United
Development Party (PPP), Golkar and the Christian-nationalist
Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) -- are contesting the election,
scheduled for May 29.

The government has recently issued a set of election
guidelines. These cover the so-called "dialog campaign", during
which the contestants are to broadcast debates and speeches.

PPP and PDI have branded the regulations restrictive as texts
for the debates and speeches have to be screened by General
Elections Institute officials. Golkar, however, has
wholeheartedly supported the guidelines, saying they will ensure
a high-quality election.

"The corrections and criticism offered should not be made up,"
Yogie said. "Anybody can criticize. We're not going to let
political contestants get away with merely smearing other
contestants," he added.

Yogie also reiterated that the institute would impose
"controls and corrections" on the contestants. "But don't take
this as censorship. In the past materials for televised election
campaigns had to go through the General Elections Institute," he
said. "There's nothing new in the procedures."

In the debates politicians will be led by moderators
handpicked by the National Elections Committee.

"The contestants may nominate people to be moderators, but the
committee will make the final decision" Yogie said.

Yogie defended "the system, which is meant to make the
campaign lively as well as nurture democracy without creating
unrest." The political contestants should prepare their campaign
speakers so they are well versed in issues that are educational
to the public.

Yogie revealed that as of Feb. 18, the General Elections
Institute had received more than 100 complaints from the public
over the provisional list of candidates for the House of
Representatives.

"Candidates proven to have committed moral or ideological
faults will be dropped and replaced by the people directly below
them on the list," Yogie said.

Candidates have until March 10 to defend themselves, when the
election institute will announce the final list of candidates.

Director-General for Sociopolitical Affairs Sutoyo NK
identified candidates that could be dropped as those found to
have violated the state ideology Pancasila or committed crimes or
"immoral acts." (25/swe)