KPU, parties must agree on election rules

KPU, parties must agree on election rules

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) asked the General
Elections Commission (KPU) and the 24 political parties eligible
for the elections to reach a common understanding on several
campaign regulations, which the committee described as "gray
areas".

Panwaslu chairman Komaruddin Hidayat said that the KPU and
other political parties must be in full agreement in regard to
campaigning methods and principles.

"Without coordination between KPU and the political parties,
the campaign regulations will be useless," he said during an
informal meeting with representatives of 24 political parties
here on Thursday.

He said the meeting was held to hear the perceptions of the
political parties on the activities considered to be political
campaigning.

Committee member Topo Santoso added that the KPU and political
parties must focus on at least two items: The definition of
campaigning and the penalty for offenders.

The Law No. 12/2003 on General Elections does not specify the
definition of a campaign. It only mentions a few restrictions
during the campaign.

A regulation issued by the KPU, No. 701/2003, defines a
campaign as an effort aimed at convincing non-party members to
vote for the party by publicizing its manifesto through the mass
media, in public places or at meetings during the period
designated by KPU.

The need to specify the definition of a campaign has become
more urgent after the United Development Party (PPP) and the
National Awakening Party (PKB) held mass gatherings recently --
before the official campaign season has begun.

KPU has set March 11 through April 1, 2004 as the period for
campaigning.

PPP chairman Hamzah Haz dismissed accusations that his party
was illegally campaigning, saying that the mass gathering was
part of the party's anniversary celebration.

During the meeting, Ade Nasution from the Reform Star Party
(PBR) also defended several mass gatherings the party had
organized.

He said that party chairman Zainuddin MZ, a noted Muslim
preacher, always organized mass gatherings and would continue to
do so "as long as Islam exists". "So give us the criterion of a
campaign," he ordered.

Laurens Siburian said the KPU must clearly regulate the "dos
and don'ts" for political parties, so parties can hold standard
member meetings without violating regulations.

Also addressed in the meeting was the need to increase the
number of supervisory committees at the subdistrict level.

Al Muzamil Yusuf, cochairman of the Prosperous Justice Party
(PKS), proposed the creation of a forum to support law
enforcement during the campaign period.

He said the forum should comprise representatives from all 24
parties as well as the general public to support the subdistrict
Election Supervisory Committees in their duties.

Based on the election law, the number of such Committees in
subdistrict areas shall not be more than five.