PAN's Lie cleared of poll violation

SEMARANG: The Semarang District Court acquitted on Thursday National Mandate Party (PAN) legislative candidate Alvin Lie Ling Piao. He was charged with early campaigning.

The panel of judges said in their verdict that the prosecutors failed to prove that the defendant had committed the offense in a public place, a violation which carries a maximum sentence of three months in jail and a Rp 1 million (US$116) fine.

The court also ordered the "restoration of Lie's good name".

A non-governmental organization (NGO) reported Lie to the police in February after he allegedly donated a calendar to a Semarang resident with the pictures of himself and PAN leader Amien Rais on it. The NGO considered it a form of early campaigning before the official campaign period began on April 11. -- JP