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)