KPU rules on campaign zones and agenda
M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta
After a lengthy scramble between the presidential candidates' campaign teams over the most rewarding venues and dates, the General Elections Commission (KPU) completed on Tuesday a campaign schedule in which the country is divided into five campaign zones.
The campaign teams gearing up for the country's first direct presidential election also agreed with the KPU proposal that the 30-day campaign would be divided into five stages, each consisting of six days.
Which candidates were to campaign in each zone during each stage was decided upon in a draw, after the teams demanded that all candidates be granted equal opportunity to introduce themselves throughout the country.
The campaign period from June 1 to June 30 will have a one-day break on June 3 when the nation observes the Waisak holiday, the Buddha's Day of Enlightenment.
On the first day of the campaign, each pair of candidates are expected to take part in a parade, like the one marking the start of the legislative election campaign on March 26.
"This will show the public that all presidential candidates are committed to a peaceful campaign, regardless of their political differences," KPU member Hamid Awaludin said.
In the first stage of campaign from June 2 through to June 8, Megawati Soekarnoputri and Hasyim Muzadi under the banner of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) will campaign in zone 1 covering Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Riau and Riau islands, Jambi and South Sumatra.
Hamzah Haz and Agum Gumelar, under the United Development Party (PPP) banner, will have the advantage of the heavily populated provinces in zone 2 covering Bengkulu, Lampung, Bangka Belitung islands, Jakarta, West Java and Central Java.
Gen. (ret) Wiranto and Solahuddin Wahid, under the Golkar Party banner, will also get the same benefit as they are scheduled to campaign in zone 3 -- Yogyakarta, East Java, Banten, Bali, West and East Nusa Tenggara.
Zone 4, which covers the whole of Kalimantan, North and Central Sulawesi will be traversed by candidates supported by the National Mandate Party (PAN), Amien Rais and Siswono Yudhohusodo.
Candidates supported by the Democratic Party, the Crescent Star Party (PBB) and the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKP Indonesia), Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Jusuf Kalla, who are considered the front-runners in the presidential race, will crisscross the far-flung regions of South and North Sulawesi, Gorontalo, South and North Maluku and Papua in the first six days of campaigning.
In the next stages, each pair of candidates will take even turns in rallying supporters in the designated zones.
KPU deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti said the zone division was aimed at avoiding conflict between supporters of different presidential aspirants.
"Candidates are not allowed to mobilize their supporters across provincial boundaries," Ramlan said.
In the drawing up of the schedule, all campaign teams agreed that it would apply only for outdoor campaigns, dialog sessions and indoor meetings, three of the nine types of campaign methods authorized in the KPU.
The KPU is also expected to organize debates for the presidential candidates to be aired by state television station TVRI and six other private TV stations.