Parties asked to maintain security

Parties asked to maintain security

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso is planning to invite leaders
of all political parties eligible for the June general election
to discuss how to maintain security and create peaceful campaigns
in the capital ahead of the poll.

"I will invite them immediately after the government announces
the eligible contestants for the upcoming election," the governor
told reporters on Wednesday.

During the meeting, he said, the leaders "will be asked to be
responsible for all of their respective supporters in order to
prevent any possible clashes in the city," he said.

According to him, the big number of contestants in the
upcoming elections would create "difficulties" for the city
administration.

More than 140 parties have registered with the Ministry of
Justice to contest the poll. As a comparison, there were only
three parties contesting previous elections.

According to the schedule, the eligible parties for this
year's election were to be announced last night.

On Tuesday night, Sutiyoso met scores of the city's high
ranking officials at City Hall, including Jakarta Military
Commander Maj. Gen. Djadja Suparman, City Police Chief Maj. Gen.
Noegroho Djajusman and all deputy governors to discuss election
security matters.

The meeting, which lasted until midnight, was however closed
to reporters. The media were even forbidden to approach the
meeting room.

Sutiyoso said on Wednesday that one of the results of the
meeting was that parties were forbidden to place their political
banners along the city's main thoroughfares by themselves.

"It's the city administration which will organize and place
them so that they won't damage the city's beauty," he said.

The governor also insisted that all city officials and
security officers would be neutral toward the contesting parties.
(ind)