Fresh complaints raised against election campaign guidelines

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's two minority parties raised fresh complaints yesterday over what they called restrictive election campaign guidelines and sought a meeting with the government to discuss the problems.

The United Development Party (PPP) deputy chairman Zarkasih Nur said yesterday the campaign rules do not encourage political parties to develop maturity and self-reliance.

"We have held five general elections under the New Order administration, but unfortunately the next election will not give political parties wider room to express their political concepts," Zarkasih said.

PPP, the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) and the dominant political group Golkar will contest the May 29 general election, vying for 425 of the 500 seats at the House of Representatives. The remaining 75 seats are reserved for the Armed Forces whose members do not vote.

During a leadership board meeting led by chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum Saturday, PPP secretary-general Tosari Widjaja said the general election would suffer a setback due to its restrictive rules.

Tosari was commenting on the last two ministerial decrees on election campaign guidelines issued by the Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S. M. and Minister of Information Harmoko.

Among the clauses of the decrees under fire were the authorization of the government to screen campaign speeches, to pick moderators for public debates broadcast by state-owned television station TVRI and radio RRI, and the complicated procedures to gain police approval to hold rallies.

Tosari said organizers of a rally must submit lists of attendants and their vehicles to the police seven days before the rally.

It was Tosari's second criticism, following his statement earlier this year suggesting PPP withdraw from the election campaign. He said the party lacked funds and time to meet the zoning scheme imposed on the election campaign.

Golkar, however, expressed support yesterday for the election campaign guidelines. Antara quoted Golkar secretary-general Ari Mardjono as saying here yesterday that there's nothing wrong with the new rules.

In fact, Ari said, the new rules would help ensure a quality general election.

Zarkasih, who also attended Saturday's meeting, said the election campaign would lose its sparkle due to the strict rules. "The general election, which has been dubbed a fiesta of democracy, requires only a set of soft regulations, not strict ones," he said.

PPP has listed its complaints to be submitted to the government soon.

"We do not expect the government to change the rules, but at least they and the public know there are complaints about the regulations," Zarkasih said.

He denied speculations that PPP would boycott the election campaign only because of unfavorable regulations. "There's no reason for withdrawal. No matter how tough the rules, we will use our democratic rights," he said.

PDI's deputy chairman Budi Hardjono echoed PPP's objection of the election campaign guidelines, saying the rules would reduce PDI's chances to make use of all opportunities during the campaign period.

"We can't expect too much from the campaign period because of our limited time (for preparation), funds and logistics," Budi said yesterday.

Budi said such limitations would reduce PDI's allotted campaign time from 27 days to only nine days and prevent the party from holding any national rallies.

"The rules show that the government has yet to omit its distrust of political parties, although they have all recognized the state ideology Pancasila," Budi said.

"The government knows well the persons who will compete in the battlefield. They won't do anything to harm their own image or the respective party's," he added.

Budi said the discouraging campaign rules would be among the main topics of discussion during the party's two-day leadership meeting in Kopo, Bogor, West Java, starting today.

"We plan to announce a political statement, including our objections to campaign guidelines," Budi said, adding the party would formally make the government aware of the complaints.

"If possible, we will ask for a meeting with the government to discuss the matters," he said. (amd)