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.