Mass rallies may be banned in campaigning

JAKARTA (JP): The 53 members of the newly established National Elections Committee (KPU) are to convene on Monday morning to discuss a draft code of conduct for election campaigning, which includes a ban on mass mobilization of supporters.

Other stipulations cover adherence to the law, freedom from fear and pressure, prohibition of bribery, transparency of information and equal rights and treatment.

Government representative on the committee Andi A. Mallarangeng promised to abide by the now disbanded Team of Eleven's recommendation that no mass rallies should be held during the 20 designated campaign days.

"No mass mobilization or rallies. Parties can campaign through public debates on television, in newspapers... and through dialog campaigning," he said Friday after the drawing of parties' numbers.

Committee chairman Gen. (ret) Rudini concurred.

Scheduled for May 18 until June 4, election campaigning is considered the most inflammable period for clashes and riots.

"There's no need for massive rallies during campaigning... but the KPU has to agree on this as a whole," Rudini said.

Both Rudini and Andi said they were lobbying the poll contestants to decide against street rallies.

"So far some of them agreed, also on sanctions that should be imposed on violators. For instance, a political party could be disqualified if proven to be involved in clashes," Rudini added.

Another government representative, former justice Adi Andojo Soetjipto, cited the infeasibility of all 48 contenders taking turns holding street rallies during the short time period.

"(Rallies) will only be ineffective. Rioting could even foil the poll," he said on Saturday.

He called on party leaders to be role models for their supporters in their campaign behavior.

"Do not exploit rhetoric on ethnicity, religion or race which will only incite tension or anger."

Representatives of the political parties on the committee differed on how far the code of conduct should extend.

"We do not want any bloodshed. We basically agree not to have mass rallies despite them being the most effective means to attract people, but the committee must find a better campaigning method," said Hasballah M. Saad of the National Mandate Party (PAN).

Sri Bintang Pamungkas of the Indonesian Uni-Democracy Party said he agreed there should be more public debates and dialogs.

"Let's contest (our skills) in debating ideas and concepts," he said.

Abdul Rahman Saleh of the Crescent Star Party was also in favor, but warned of the possibility the major parties, with great resources at their disposal, would break the agreement.

Finland

Meanwhile, Finland has invited an Indonesian delegation consisting of election contestants, poll watch organizations, poll committees and media representatives to study an election in the country on March 21, Antara reported.

The news agency quoted Finland Ambassador to Indonesia Hannu Himanen as saying on Saturday the invitation was part of the technical assistance from his government in the preparation for the June 7 general election.

The news agency said a 12-member delegation to visit Finland would include members of KPU, Golkar Party, PAN, the National Awakening Party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, the Independent Election Monitoring Committee, the University Network for Free and Fair Elections and the Indonesian Rectors Forum.

The news agency said the delegation would embark on a five-day visit to study the election of about 200 members of Finland's parliament.

Antara also said Finland contributed about US$200,000 through the United Nations Development Program to assist the June polls, which will be the first since the end of Soeharto's 32-year rule.

The UNDP has signed a memorandum of understanding with Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas, stating it would coordinate foreign countries' donations for the polls.

Meanwhile in Denpasar, Bali, leading poll watch activist Mulyana W. Kusumah called on Saturday for a government regulation to curb money politics and enforce a code of conduct among parties to prevent violence.

In Semarang, Central Java, chairman of Diponegoro University's Student Senate Firdaus Diponegoro was quoted as saying by Antara that the university would boycott the polls if election regulations were manipulated to serve the interests of those in power. (edt/byg)