PDI-P candidate tried for early campaigning

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.