Five stand trial for illegal campaign

Five stand trial for illegal campaign

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Five defendants, the first people charged under new laws banning
early campaigning, stood trial at the Central Jakarta District
Court on Thursday.

The five -- PT Citra Bunda director Adi Hartono and his four
employees Hartati, Nunik Wulandari, Sugiharto and Romlah -- were
not accompanied by legal counsel.

Presiding Judge Effendi Murod began the trial as the
defendants did not contest the indictments.

Prosecutor Payaman said the five were charged with violating
Article 138 of Law No. 12/2003 on the general elections by
campaigning for the National Awakening Party (PKB) ahead of
schedule.

"They distributed party paraphernalia including symbols,
pictures and visual aids before the campaign started," the
prosecutor said.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) has named March 11 as
the starting date for the month-long campaign for parties
contesting the legislative elections.

Payaman alleged Adi had received an order list last year from
Abi Susanto, a legislative candidate for PKB, to make 10,000
brochures, 50 banners, 20,000 stickers and 50,000 T-shirts
carrying the party's symbol and Abi's face.

After finishing the order, Adi, on his own initiative, told
his four employees to distribute the brochures to some churches.

On Dec. 24 the four began giving them to people at the Jakarta
Cathedral. The police intercepted them and warned them not to
continue.

The four allegedly then went to the Batak Protestant church in
Kemayoran, Central Jakarta and distributed the brochures there.
At the scene, the police arrested them for questioning.

During the police interrogation, the four admitted they had
received a Rp 10,000 (US$1.19) daily transport allowance from
Adi. Adi admitted it was his idea to distribute the brochures.

The panel of judges also questioned witnesses Syarif M. Abas
and Sugito and a Kemayoran District General Elections Monitoring
Committee member Supriyanto.