PPP gives qualified support for ban on rallies
JAKARTA (JP): The United Development Party (PPP) gave its qualified support Saturday for new government rules which would ban street rallies and promote media election campaigning in next year's general election.
PPP Secretary-General Tosari Widjaya said he agreed with the idea behind the banning but called for efforts to ensure that the state-run television station TVRI and radio station RRI give equal coverage to the three political contestants.
PPP, Golkar and the Indonesian Democratic Party are contesting the election, scheduled for May 29. The two state-run broadcast media have, in the past, been criticized for giving undue exposure to Golkar, while neglecting the two minority parties.
Tosari was commenting on Presidential Decree No. 99/1996 and Government Regulation No. 74/1996, which stipulate that electioneering could only take the form of public assemblies and media broadcasts, as well as leaflets, flyers and other printed matters.
"It would be almost impossible for the government to keep a mass of people from going from one place to the campaigning site where a public assembly is held," Tosari told The Jakarta Post.
Tosari's statement was seconded by political analyst Arbi Sanit of the University of Indonesia's School of Social and Political Sciences.
"Unless the government took repressive measures, the banning could not be effectively carried out," he said.
"Banning street rallies is tantamount to limiting a person's rights to physically move, but the policy is expected to direct people to be more active intellectually. This is naturally good because then brawls could be prevented," Arbi said.
Golkar gave full support to the decrees, saying that an election campaign which stresses dialog and interchange of ideas would help develop "the best political communication".
Chairman Harmoko, who is also Minister of Information and oversees the two state run broadcast media, said Saturday Golkar is ready to implement the new decrees fully.
On campaigning through TVRI or RRI, Tosari and Arbi said the idea was good, provided that minority parties be given equal allocation of broadcast time.
"The basic idea behind the regulation of next year's electioneering should be justice for all contestants," Arbi said.
"The problem is that there has been a lot of unfair practices, as Golkar has for so long enjoyed privileges," Tosari said. He cited how the dominant political grouping had received wide coverage for each of its "cadres meetings" and "consolidation meetings" across the country.
"This creates jealousy in the minority parties," Tosari said, adding that PPP would now watch closely how the rules would be implemented.
Arbi was concerned about limited funds and human resources hampering the two minority parties' performance in election campaigning as ruled in the new decrees. (08)
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