Parties to campaign on trucks

BALIKPAPAN, East Kalimantan: Political parties in Balikpapan rejected on Tuesday a call by the local police to avoid the use of trucks for party campaigns.

The parties rejected the call at a meeting between police officers and representatives of 24 political parties in the city.

According to the police, trucks may be effective and efficient in political campaigns, but they were dangerous and prone to traffic accidents.

Representatives of political parties said it would be too costly to use other modes of transportation as trucks could accommodate large numbers of people.

They promised to urge the drivers of the trucks and party supporters to promote campaign safety. -- JP