Panwaslu says candidates stage disguised campaigns

M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

The General Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) said on Sunday that scores of sporting activities organized by presidential candidates' campaign teams were a subtle form of campaigning outside the designated schedule.

However, because such activities were not covered in regulations by the General Elections Commission (KPU), no legal action could be taken against the teams who organized the events, it added.

Panwaslu member Rozy Munir said that although the activities -- including a fun walk with extravagant prizes -- did not involve the presentation of political platforms, they had undeniably been turned into events in which the campaign teams attempted to sway voters.

"Though the events did not meet the criteria of activities considered as campaigning based on KPU Ruling No. 35/2003 on the presidential campaign, they could be categorized as activities to lure voters," he said.

Rozy said Panwaslu would continue monitoring such activities and would continue to inform the public about them. "Let people decide whether the candidates have embarked on clean campaigning or not."

On Sunday, the two camps of incumbent President Megawati Soekarnoputri and running mate Hasyim Muzadi, and her contender Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono-Jusuf Kalla held two separate sports activities which drew huge crowds.

The Megawati-Hasyim team organized a fun walk pretentiously aimed at honoring the country's first president and Megawati's father, Soekarno.

Thousands of participants took part in the event in the hope of winning a car, which was offered as the first prize.

Megawati was slated to give a send off to participants in the fun walk, but failed to show up for reasons undisclosed. Vice President Hamzah Haz took her place.

Central board senior executive of Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Roy B.B. Janis denied that the fun walk was an subtle campaign aimed at persuading people to vote for Megawati.

"This is a state function and a neutral event. If the distribution of T-shirts bearing the pictures of Megawati and Hasyim was involved, it was at the initiative of participants. And Pak Hamzah attended the event in his capacity as Vice President.

Separately, Kalla took part in a similar activity in Pamulang, Banten province. Last week, Susilo led a fun walk along with former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid who announced on Saturday he endorsed Susilo's candidacy.

Aside from holding the sports events to lure undecided voters, the two candidates have started a new stage of smear campaigns.

Both camps had called themselves true reformists, while accusing their opponents of being lackeys of president Soeharto's New Order regime.

Hasyim said during a function in Bandarlampung that Susilo and Kalla, were undeniably part of the New Order regime "They could speak about reform, but the fact is that they are from the old administration," he said.

The Susilo camp had earlier said the Nationhood Coalition of four major parties in support of Megawati's reelection bid was mustered by New Order forces.