Mass rallies may be banned in campaigning

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)