Panwaslu accuses PDI-P of polls offense

Suherdjoko and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Surakarta/Jakarta

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has joined the list of major parties facing allegations of early campaigning, after the Surakarta Regional Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwasda) reported it to the police.

Surakarta's Panwasda chairman Nyuwardi said the PDI-P had committed at least six violations during its anniversary parade across the Central Java town of Surakarta on Sunday, including promoting the party's programs, inviting non-members to participate and placing the party's symbols and flags in public places.

The town turned red on Sunday as thousands of supporters of the ruling party marched to celebrate the PDI-P's 31st anniversary. They also unfurled a banner which read "Megawati for president".

Nyuwardi said that in its notification letter to the committee prior to the event, the party had promised not to place flags and involve non-members.

"It turned out that the party's flags were waved all over the town and young children, who cannot be party members, were seen among the crowd wearing the party's T-shirts," he said.

He said he would submit evidence such as photographs, T-shirts and a video record of the event to the police.

Central Java's Panwasda chief Nur Hidayat Sardini said elections supervisory committees in Batang, Semarang, Banjar and Klaten were also considering moves against the PDI-P for alleged violations of the election regulations.

"We are waiting for their decisions, but so far only Surakarta has decided to file a report with the police," Nur Hidayat told The Jakarta Post.

Last week Panwasda office in the West Java town of Bekasi reported the party to the police for alleged violations of the election law.

Jakarta's Panwasda office filed a report with the police against the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the United Development Party (PPP) on charges of early campaigning when they held a parade to celebrate their respective anniversary celebrations earlier this month.

Indonesia's election laws are not specific about the conditions for early campaigning, providing parties with loopholes they can exploit. The National Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) has admitted the issue was a grey area and proposed revisions to the election regulations of the General Elections Commission (KPU) in a bid to prevent different interpretations of the rules.

PDI-P deputy secretary-general Pramono Anung said the march on Sunday could not be categorized as early campaigning because of the absence of political speech.

"They were holding a street parade, there was no speech at all. For us, that cannot be considered as a violation of the election regulations," Pramono said.

Another PDI-P figure Taufik Kiemas said Panwaslu had to clearly spell out what regulations which had been violated during the parade.

"If we did violate the regulations then we are sorry, but if we didn't -- then thank God," Taufik said after accompanying his wife President Megawati in the Archipelago Day commemoration in Cilegon, West Java.

Surakarta Panwasda official Imron Rosyid told the Post the office filed a report to the police in a bid to make political parties aware they had to be more careful when holding mass events before elections.

"Maybe we cannot prove them wrong, but let the legal process take its course," Imron said.