KPU completes presidential media campaign ruling
M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta
The General Elections Commission (KPU) has completed a ruling on the presidential campaign, in a move to provide the candidates more media exposure and the public greater insight into their platforms.
KPU deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti said on Friday that the broader space should enable candidates to present their entire platform to the public, which is one of among many requirements for them. The presidential election is on July 5, with a likely runoff between the top two in September.
"For television ads, we have agreed to extend the duration from 30 seconds to 90 seconds and to be aired five times during the prime time. This will enable candidates to present more comprehensive views on a variety of issues," Ramlan announced to the public on Friday.
The new ruling also scraps the role of the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) to jointly supervise campaigning with the KPU in the electronic media, as they did ahead of the April 5 legislative elections. "We'll still take their views into account, though," Ramlan said.
The presidential Election Law says that the KPU is the only party authorized to regulate the presidential campaign.
The campaign period runs from June 1 to July 1, with a one-day break on June 3, when the nation observes the Buddhist holiday, Waisak.
The ruling, which takes effect on Saturday after the commission declares the eligible candidates, also stipulates tough action against candidates who are found bribing potential voters.
"If the candidates or their campaign teams are proven in court that they practiced 'money politics', the KPU will disqualify them. And if it is their campaigners who are doing it, we will stop that campaign," Ramlan said.
However, he admitted that there could be a huge problem if the court verdict was handed down long after a candidate has been declared a winner. "It could incite a riot stemming from voter discontent," he noted.
Six presidential candidates have registered with the KPU. They are Gen. (ret) Wiranto and his running mate Solahuddin Wahid of the Golkar Party; Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Jusuf Kalla from the Democratic Party; Amien Rais and Siswono Yudhohusodo of the National Mandate Party; Hamzah Haz and Agum Gumelar of the United Development Party and Abdurrahman Wahid and Marwah Daud Ibrahim, proposed by the National Awakening Party; and the incumbent Megawati Soekarnoputri and her running mate Hasyim Muzadi, registered by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI- P).
A number of candidates have already begun running some informational ads. However, the KPU has turned a blind eye to what some say is early campaigning, saying it has not yet declared which of the candidates are eligible.
Ramlan said new measures would be in place for the presidential poll, learning from mistakes from last month's legislative election. The KPU has had to deal with many protests and lawsuits have been filed against it for various problems in the preparation and conduct of the April poll and the tallying that followed.
The measures, Ramlan said, would include public displays of vote tabulation from the polling station level, methods to invalidate remaining ballot papers and the inclusion of more signatures from witnesses in the ballot counting reports.
"The measures are to guarantee that none of the votes will be manipulated and we can therefore have legitimate leaders who are elected in a clean and transparent manner," Ramlan said.