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.