Elections Commission presents draft decree on electoral campaign

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The General Elections Commission (KPU) presented on Friday a draft decree on election campaign mechanism that will require electoral candidates to consult the commission on the types and the number of advertisements they will place in the mass media.

The draft is an elaboration of the Election Law, which stipulates that electronic and print media provide equal chance for all electoral candidates to place their advertisements.

It states that an advertisement slot allotted to a candidate cannot be given to another candidate for whatever reason, as is stated in the explanatory appendix of the Election Law.

Besides advertisements, each electoral candidate is given a chance of airing recorded speeches through radio and television stations.

The draft decree is expected to be passed in December after public scrutiny.

According to the draft decree, electoral candidates are defined as either political parties or candidates of Regional Representative Councils (DPD) that are seeking votes in the general elections on April 5 next year.

While the Election Law defines an election campaign as an activity carried out by electoral candidates to woo voters with their platforms, the draft decree says that an election campaign is intended to influence outsiders and can be held in both open and closed venues or through the mass media.

Electoral candidates are obliged to submit an event report to local police on their campaign, including details of the location, estimated number of participants, designated routes to and from the campaign, and the persons responsible for the campaign.

According to the draft decree, a party activity involving party members or supporters is not regarded as a campaign, although it often attracts outsiders in practice.

KPU deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti told a press briefing on Friday that the decree would include the definition of an election campaign to avoid misinterpretations and violations.

He said the definition was open to debate.

Rallies involving party supporters before the election campaign decree comes into effect are not subject to the decree.

The campaign period is scheduled to last three weeks between March and April 2004, and must end three days before the April 5 legislative election.

The draft decree also stipulates that a campaign featuring electoral candidate symbols can be held at select locations as determined by local administrations, and/or at a private venue.

Rallies held during a campaign are not allowed outside the predetermined route, cannot spread to other electoral districts and must not violate traffic regulations.

In the event of a security problem, the police can take any necessary measures to stop or halt the campaign in accordance with the decree.

Meanwhile, judges and Supreme Court justices, State Audit Agency (BPK) officials and chief, Bank Indonesia governor and deputies, officials of state/provincial firms, civil servants and village heads are prohibited from taking part in electoral campaigns, says the draft.

State officials representing political parties must take leave if they wish to participate in campaigns, and they are not permitted to use state facilities.

The KPU will stop a campaign if any violations of the article regarding the participation of state officials occur.

Between the campaign period and the ballot, legislative candidates are not allowed to promise to give money, nor to give money and/or other materials to voters.

Those who violate the article will be sent to court and may be disqualified from the election.