PDI-P denies early campaigning

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.