Govt to loosen some restrictive campaign rules

Govt to loosen some restrictive campaign rules

JAKARTA (JP): Following a torrent of criticism from the
minority parties contesting the May 29 general election, the
government agreed yesterday to loosen campaign regulations they
had branded restrictive.

The compromise, reached after a five-hour meeting with the
three political groups yesterday, included the relaxation of
rules concerning the screening of campaign speeches and the
government's monopoly to name moderators for broadcasted public
debates.

The government will also issue directives for the campaign
regulations. Regency and mayoralty level campaigning is scheduled
to begin on April 27 and last through May 23.

General Elections Institute Secretary-General Suryatna Subrata
said the government would still examine all speeches, to make
sure that they do not question the state ideology Pancasila or
have the potential to incite religious conflict.

The government also agreed to let each political group choose
its own debate moderators. Each group will have to submit a list
of moderators, and the government will pick one to guide each
televised debate.

"The government just wants to know who the moderators are,"
Suryatna said of the decision to compel the political groups to
report their moderator candidates.

According to Suryatna, the government will ask each political
group to inform the National Police headquarters of the names of
its senior campaign speakers. They will not have to report to any
police stations at more local levels.

Yesterday's meeting was held in response to complaints raised
by the United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian
Democratic Party (PDI), who will compete with their giant rival
Golkar in the general election.

Both PPP and PDI had repeatedly said that the election rules
were restricting their autonomy and curtailing freedom of speech.

Suryatna was accompanied by the Ministry of Home Affairs'
Director General of Sociopolitical Affairs, Sutoyo N.K., the
Ministry of Information's Director General of Press and Graphics
Subrata and a National Police representative, Brig. Gen. Suwito.

PPP Chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum and PPP Secretary-General,
Tosari Wijaya, PDI Deputy Chairman Budi Hardjono and Deputy
Secretary-General Romulus Sihombing, Golkar Deputy Chairman Abdul
Gafur and the Golkar Secretary-General Arie Mardjono represented
the election contestants. The next session, to discuss further
campaign technicalities, will be held next week.

Budi hailed the government for accommodating the parties'
complaints. Tosari called the gesture progress.

"The government should not be too suspicious about our
campaign speeches because we would never breach the Constitution
or Pancasila," Budi said.

"The government finally realizes that the election rules
contain measures that are not applicable," Tosari said. (amd)