KPU urged to revise campaign code of conduct

JAKARTA (JP): Observers urged the General Elections Commission (KPU) on Wednesday to revise its election campaign Code of Conduct, which allows rallies in public places without limiting the number of participants.

"It's not too late for the KPU to ban rallies to avoid violence among party followers. We all know that clashes are likely to happen if crowds gather," Eep Saefulloh Fatah, a political science lecturer at the University of Indonesia, said during a discussion on effective campaigning held by the university.

"The current floating mass, which contains up to 40 percent of eligible voters, is a crowd which has no political or ideological base... they are easily provoked to create unrest."

Voters, estimated to reach 130 million this year, are largely unresponsive to politics, reform or information despite efforts at voter education, he said.

"Such crowds do not have sufficient political awareness and, frankly, many of them don't know about parties' programs."

Eep was on the Team of Eleven assigned to screen parties to verify which parties qualified to contest the general election. The team was disbanded on March 4 to make way for the KPU.

Eep and other speakers at the discussion were responding to the Code of Conduct endorsed on Tuesday by the commission. Many people had urged the banning of mass, outdoor rallies. However, the commission bowed to the wishes of newer, smaller political parties, which said that limiting the number of participants at rallies and being allowed to hold rallies only in closed spaces would lessen their chances of introducing themselves to the public.

The commission's code stressed that police and the leaders of political parties should be held responsible for security at rallies. While the code does not allow street rallies, party supporters traveling to and from rallies in convoys of vehicles pose dangers to other motorists. Party supporters in these convoys also often become involved in clashes with supporters of rival parties.

"No party leader will be able to handle the crowds once they hit the streets," Eep said. He cited a number of recent clashes involving supporters of rival parties. One supporter recently was killed in Yogyakarta during one such clash.

Eep said that in the 1955 election, also contested by dozens of parties, party supporters had strong political and ideological roots, resulting in a mature, democratic and peaceful poll.

In 1955, the leader of the now-banned Indonesian Communist Party (PKI), D.N. Aidit, did not have to yell to his supporters during the campaign, he said. "PKI supporters were politically well informed... the same thing went for Masyumi and other parties."

Another speaker at the discussion, communications expert Sasa Djuarsa from the University of Indonesia, said an effective campaign through the media was more likely than mass mobilizations to win public support.

For example, private television station TPI has a regular program which allows parties to introduce themselves to the public, he said.

"Small parties could effectively introduce and socialize their existence through unique, concrete programs which differentiate them from other parties. After all, their followers are small in number," Sasa added.

Given the low political awareness among many people, Sasa also suggested a rehearsal for voters, apart from the customary demonstration of voting methods on voting day at poll booths.

"These voters will determine the future of this nation," he said.

Another speaker, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, chairman of the Crescent Star Party (PBB), said the PBB would not mobilize the masses.

"The PBB does not wish to win the poll by standing on blood spilled in the campaign."

The speakers at the discussion offered several suggestions to the KPU and the 48 parties contesting the poll:

* Maximize the use of state-run television station TVRI and state-owned radio station RRI because both reach remote areas.

* Watch out for the mass mobilization of supporters at the grassroots level because Golkar is still popular and strong.

* Present local issues at rallies rather than focusing on national issues. Also, take into account the tendency of the floating mass to vote for symbolic and practical needs, such as party figures and money.

* Have a simple campaign. Do not waste money on a grand show.

* Watch for the possibility of voter misconduct because of a lack of information on campaign rules. (edt)