Poll watchdog set to reprimand PDI Perjuangan

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)