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.