Parties face stern warning

MEDAN: The North Sumatra electoral supervisory committee has issued a stern warning to several parties which have children and youths under seventeen involved in street rallies.

"We will no longer tolerate political parties which involve children in their campaigns. Those ignoring the warnings face a ban on campaigning," committee chief Monang Siringoringo said late last week.

Siringoringo said that the committee was serious about disciplining unruly parties.

He said many of the 48 political parties have violated campaigning rules, but he declined to name names.

Antara reported that the most common violation in North Sumatra was the removal of party banners and insulting rival parties.