Fresh complaints raised against election campaign guidelines

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)