Poll watchdog set to reprimand PDI Perjuangan

JAKARTA (JP): The official Election Supervisory Committee said on Monday that it would issue a warning to Megawati Soekarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) for party supporters' lack of discipline during campaigning.

"The committee considers that there have been violations of the General Elections Commission's (KPU) decree on campaigning and we will issue a written warning against the party," committee member Dadang Hawari told a media conference.

The statement came on the final day of the first round of campaigning for the 48 parties. Official campaigning will end on June 4. He said the official poll watchdog would also issue a warning to other parties who had violated KPU regulations, but did not specify the parties.

Huge crowds of Megawati supporters on Sunday ran red rivers through the capital and several other cities, including Denpasar and Yogyakarta, during their campaigns. But they were also seen dominating the streets, such as in Bogor, outside their scheduled campaign day.

The street rallies, which caused traffic jams but minimal recorded violence, were in defiance of a ruling by KPU banning mass street parades. At least one PDI Perjuangan supporter died in an accident on Sunday in North Jakarta.

The committee also said that it would instruct its local branches to tighten security of ballot papers.

Thousands of the more than 550,000 ballots received by the Blora regency election committee in Central Java were faulty. Among other things were ballot sheets with missing party logos. Last week, six bags of ballot papers were found at the bottom of the Deli River in Labuhan Batu, North Sumatra.

Earlier in the day, the Independent Election Monitoring Committee (KIPP) said government officials and many political parties and their supporters have violated the law on elections as well as the KPU's decree on campaigning since campaigning began on May 19.

KIPP secretary-general Mulyana W. Kusumah told a media conference that some PDI Perjuangan supporters have been bullying supporters of the rival Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) and the ruling Golkar Party in some areas.

He also said that many government officials were still using state facilities to benefit Golkar.

Mulyana, also deputy chairman of the official supervisory committee, added that officials in Wanasari subdistrict in Cibitung, Bekasi regency, have been pressuring residents to vote for Golkar.

"If you still want to stay in the village, you have to vote for Golkar," Mulyana quoted the officials as saying.

He also said Golkar has been practicing "money politics" in the North Sumatra town of Belawan and the West Java town of Kuningan. "Golkar has been distributing money to pedicab drivers and housewives there," Mulyana said.

He said that some party supporters have also been found vandalizing other parties' flags and attributes.

In the West Java capital of Bandung, Antara quoted the University Network for Free and Fair Elections (Unfrel) as saying that some parties, including PDI Perjuangan, the National Awakening Party (PKB), the United Development Party (PPP), the Justice Party (PK) and the Republican Party, have also violated election laws and KPU's decree on campaigning.

Unfrel said thousands of PDI Perjuangan supporters on motorcycles violated traffic laws on Sunday while thousands of others were seen removing other parties' flags.

Unfrel added that PPP officials had also been found using government-sponsored cars on their way to a campaign venue.

Local KIPP coordinator Andi Feizal said that PDI Perjuangan, PKB and PPP supporters had disturbed a recent campaign of the Nahdlatul Ummat Party (PNU). Andi also said the Republican Party had been distributing money to lure people to its campaign rally.

In the Southeast Sulawesi capital of Kendari, local KIPP coordinator Patrik Passasung said election officials in Lupia village had requested Rp 5,000 from residents to register for the elections. (27/41/byg/edt/24)