Poll watchdog reports PPP, PKB to police

Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Central Jakarta Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) reported the United Development Party (PPP) and the National Awakening Party (PKB) to the police on Tuesday for campaign violations.

The committee's deputy chairman, Dedi Suhardadi, said that PPP members staged a march on Jan. 4 and distributed stickers bearing the slogan "Vote for the PPP", and the party's logo and election number.

"This is an obvious invitation to people to vote for the PPP," Dedi told a media briefing after filing the complaint with the Central Jakarta Police.

The PKB held a similar march on Dec. 28, 2003. Although the participants did not distribute election paraphernalia, they wore party attributes and marched along main thoroughfares.

Reports quoted one of the PKB's chairmen, Alwi Shihab, as calling the march an example of "soft campaigning".

"From the committee's point of view, there's no soft or hard campaigning. There's only campaigning, period!" said Dedi.

Samples of the PPP stickers along with media clippings were submitted as evidence.

Article 138 of the Election Law stipulates that those found guilty of campaigning before the official campaign period between March 11 and April 1 will be liable to a maximum sentence of three months in jail and a Rp 1 million (US$117.6) fine.

The law provides for brief court proceedings in such cases, with a verdict being required within 30 days of a complaint being made to the police.