Parties defend task forces

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.