PDI-P denies early campaigning

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Chairman of the Bekasi chapter of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), Mochtar Mohamad, denied on Friday that the party had carried out a disguised campaign in the recent fanfare visit of party member Taufik Kiemas to the neighborhood surrounding Bantar Gebang dump.

"The visit was made because of his concern over thousands of students in Sumur Batu village, and certainly was not a disguised campaign," the incumbent Bekasi deputy mayor was quoted as saying by Antara.

On Jan. 18, House of Representatives member Taufik Kiemas, who is also husband to PDI Perjuangan leader President Megawati Soekarnoputri, came to grant scholarships to the poor students, books from the Ministry of National Education and free medical check.

Thousands of people swarmed to the area to meet Taufik, most of whom were wearing PDI Perjuangan t-shirts.

At the event, students received a total of 21,000 notebooks with covers bearing the face of Mochtar.

Bekasi Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) deputy head Agung Wijaksena, who witnessed the event, had expressed his suspicions of a disguised campaign and questioned whether Taufik made the visit in his capacity as a public official or politician.

His remark was soon followed by several Bekasi councillors who accused Mochtar of conducting an early campaign.

The Elections Law stipulates that any mass gatherings held by political parties before the official campaign period begins on March 10 will be considered an act of violation.

The Panwaslu has already reported two political parties to the police for violating the law by holding big rallies early this month, during which where their paraphernalia evident.

Mochtar claimed he didn't mobilize people to come to the event and to bear the party's paraphernalia.

"Everybody knows who Taufik Kiemas is ... If a flood of sympathizers coming to the event without invitations is considered a disguised campaign, then such accusation was baseless.

"Moreover, during his visit, Taufik Kiemas was accompanied by Minister of National Education Malik Fajar and State Minister for Environment Nabiel Makarim, as well as Bekasi administration officials," he added.