Parties defend task forces

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Big political parties defended on Thursday the presence of their military-style task forces, despite the risk of violence they might pose in the run up to next year's elections.

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the National Awakening Party (PKB), and Golkar Party are among those big parties that said their task forces would be managed to help secure their respective party activities.

"The task force of a party should not bother the activities of other parties, let alone interfere with the police's authority," PKB secretary general Syaifullah Yusuf said.

He was speaking to reporters after a meeting between the General Elections Commission (KPU) and 24 political parties to discuss various issues, including nomination procedures and the party code of ethics.

"The party code of ethics is necessary to create honest, fair, and non-violent elections," Syaifullah said.

PDI Perjuangan senior member Jacob Tobing concurred with Syaiful.

"We agree with non-violent principles... however we still need our task force," he said on Thursday.

He added that existing parties had to learn from the peaceful activities carried out during 1999 election campaigns.

During the meeting, KPU proposed the draft of the party code of ethics banned non-violent activities and guaranteed parties the right to hold election campaigns in places traditionally known as the strongholds of other political parties.

KPU also asked parties to hold a joint campaign or carnival on the first day of the elections campaign period, which will run from March 11 through until April 1.

Indonesia will hold the legislative election on April 5, followed by two-phase presidential elections on July 5 and Sept. 20 respectively.

A number of small political parties including the Prosperous Peace Party (PDS), the Reform Star Party (PBR) and the Freedom Bull National Party (PNBK) have argued against the existence of party task forces.

"It is better to allow the police to secure public areas, let alone parties activities," Suhardi Sudiro said.

Meanwhile, the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the Socialist Democratic Worker Party (PBSD) said small parties should be given an equal chance to campaign.

"The campaign period in March is not enough. Small parties should also be given an equal chance to disseminate their programs to people," PBSD secretary general Diah Indriastuti said.

KPU deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti said KPU would not demand the draft of party code of ethics be adopted by the parties as the commission was only a facilitator.

Aside from the party code of ethics, Ramlan also said that KPU would strictly monitor the activities of political parties to decide whether or not they conducted campaigns outside the campaign period.

Based on The Jakarta Post's monitoring, Jakarta's main streets -- Jl. Sudirman and Jl. Gatot Subroto -- are now free from party flags. But in a small street in Tebet, several party flags are already flying.

During the meeting, a number of political parties also announced whether they were ready or not to nominate legislative aspirants.

M.S. Kaban from the Crescent Star Party (PBB) said his party had more than 550 people ready to contest next year's general election.

He also said that PBB had met the minimum 30 percent of women legislative candidates. "We will announce on Dec. 20 all legislator aspirants," he said.

Parties must start submitting their list of legislator hopefuls to KPU from Dec. 22 through Dec. 29.