KPU completes presidential media campaign ruling

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.