KPU bans mass gatherings before campaign season

KPU bans mass gatherings before campaign season

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

After a prolonged deliberation the General Elections Commission
(KPU) has issued a clarification of a law that bans political
parties and their candidates from early campaining before the
official start date of March 11.

The guidelines were issued to clarify Law No. 12/2003 on the
general elections. The law carries a maximum penalty of three
months imprisonment and/or a Rp 1 million (US$120) fine.

All activities deemed of a political nature that fell outside
the official period of March 11 through April 1 would breach the
law. The general elections begin on April 5, and there is a four-
day cooling-off period before the vote when no campaigning is
allowed.

The activities banned include mass gatherings for party
anniversary celebrations, social and cultural activities, sports,
competitions, marches, prayers, bazaars, and other public
activities that could be considered part of a political campaign.

The clarification says parties will breach regulations if they
or their candidates give political speeches or disseminate
political information at both open and closed gatherings outside
of official campaigning times.

The guidelines come after several political parties organized
controversial activities, which commentators saw as breaching
existing electoral laws.

Vice President Hamzah Has denied campaigning when he addressed
recent mass gatherings at the anniversary celebrations of the
United Development Party he chairs. The Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle also held a long anniversary march in
Surakarta, which turned the Javanese royal city into a sea of red
-- the party colors.

The General Election Supervisory Board (Panwaslu) has decided
to take no retrospective action on these cases.

When the campaign season begins, the law permits traditional
campaign activities -- small and mass gatherings, speeches,
political advertisements in the media and the dissemination of
leaflets and the raising of party banners and flags in public
places.

Parties and regional representatives candidates are allowed to
put only a single page of political advertising a day in daily
newspapers and two pages a week in weekly magazines and tabloids.

In electronic media, campaigns are permitted only 10
advertising segments with a maximum duration of 30 seconds per
spot, per day on TV and radio broadcasts. The KPU also set a
deadline for when campaign materials should be delivered to the
mass media -- Feb. 25 at the latest.

The rules also bar party members from wearing military-style
uniforms and bans the carrying of fire arms and machetes.

Election contenders are also forbidden set up army-like
command posts, which could be confused with legitimate law
enforcement agencies.

Parties and their functionaries who have existing jobs in the
government are prohibited from using state funds and facilities
for their political campaigns.

The ruling also prohibits state officials from the judiciary
system, Supreme Audit Agency, Bank Indonesia, Indonesian
Military, National Police and village heads from being involved
in election campaigns.

Involvement carries a maximum 18-month jail term and/or a
maximum fine of Rp 1 million.