PDI-P candidate tried for early campaigning

Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Bogor

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) legislative candidate Alex Nasution stood trial at the Cibinong District Court on Wednesday for breaching laws forbidding early campaigning.

Alex was charged with violating Article 138 (3) of Law No. 12/2003 on the general elections. If convicted, he would face a maximum three months' jail and a fine of Rp 1 million (US$117).

Presiding Judge Marsudin Nainggolan read out the charge that Alex had erected banners and distributed leaflets with photographs along Jl. Raya Kemang-Parung from Jan. 23 until March 11, the day when the campaign period officially began.

The defendant erected three banners read out "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year", "Happy New Islamic Year" and "Happy Chinese New Year". Below the banners, he put leaflets identifying himself as a PDI-P candidate.

Visitors at the court complained that many such violations had taken place in Bogor. They also questioned why only Alex had been prosecuted.

In a separate incident, a member of the Bogor Regency Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu), Janter Panjaitan, said three legislative candidates -- Mohamad Zein of the Golkar Party, Fauzi Juandi of the National Awakening Party (PAN) and Ujang of the PDI-P -- had allegedly submitted fake high school diplomas.

"The cases have been handed over to the Bogor Police for further investigation," he said.