Panwaslu reveals 'money politics'

Panwaslu reveals 'money politics'

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Medan

Desperate to win people's hearts and minds, political parties
have openly employed dubious tactics to draw indifferent voters
to largely deserted campaign sites.

The Concern for the Nation Functional Party (PKPB) provided
free meals for more than 1,000 people in Medan, North Sumatra, on
Friday in an apparent bid to attract people to what it called a
"people's fiesta", which the party's presidential candidate Siti
Hardijanti "Tutut" Rukmana was supposed to attend.

However, once the meals were eaten, the gathering never took
place as the vigilant North Sumatra Election Supervisory
Committee (Panwaslu) was quick to disperse the crowd on the
grounds that the party was not scheduled to campaign that day.

Tutut, the youngest daughter of former president Soeharto, did
not show up at Maimon Palace, Medan, where the fiesta was to take
place.

Campaign coordinator Arwin said Tutut decided not to attend
after a hearing the Panwaslu had ruled against the activity.

"The free meals could be considered money politics. We will
consider reporting the violation to the police," the head of
local Panwaslu Yulhasni told The Jakarta Post.

"The money for the free meals is not Tutut's money. It's from
our supporters," Arwin said.

On Monday, the PKPB also handed out hundreds of food packages
to residents in Central Jakarta while the previous day it gave
scholarships to students in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

In Manado, North Sulawesi, Vice President Hamzah Haz's United
Development Party (PPP) on Friday doled out watches, umbrellas
and head scarves to party supporters.

Antara reported from Manado that party mementos were
distributed by PPP Manado leader Djafar Alkatiri after addressing
over 10,000 people at Tikala field.

In Pontianak, West Kalimantan, the Prosperous Peace Party
(PDS) distributed Abate powder and medicine for skin irritations
and coughs as well as vitamins to party supporters in what it
called a "sympathetic campaign".

"I don't care if they call it money politics or not, but what
is clear is that we registered this sympathetic campaign with the
police," PDS Pontianak secretary John Situmorang was quoted by
Antara as saying.

Meanwhile, Panwaslu central board member Topo Santoso said in
Jakarta that all forms of gifts from political parties during the
campaign period could be considered vote-buying method and
violated Article 77 of Law No. 12/2003 on elections.

"Giving money, staple foods and other things, such as free
health services can be considered money politics," said Topo, who
is also a legal expert at University of Indonesia.

Another Panwaslu member, Didik Suprianto, doubted parties
would refrain from money politics due to weak sanctions against
the practice.

Money politics carries a maximum sentence of 12 months and a
maximum fine of Rp 10 million (US$1,176).

The Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) fears that affluent
political parties will buy votes on the April 5 election day
given that many of them violated regulations in the first week of
the campaign period.

ICW deputy coordinator Lucky Djani disclosed that many parties
had distributed food and provided free services to the people,
activities that could be categorized as money politics.

"There is a correlation between affluent parties and
violations of campaign rules as well as the practice of money
politics," he said here on Friday.

ICW monitoring in six cities found money politics conducted by
many parties, especially the big and wealthy ones.

Lucky said the parties gave money to all attending their
campaigns.

"In Jakarta, the fee is between Rp 35,000 to Rp 100,000 for
each person attending a campaign," Lucky said.