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)