Weak regulations blamed for campaign violations

M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) blamed on Monday flawed campaign regulations for "disguised campaigning" by the presidential candidates' election teams.

Panwaslu chairman Komaruddin Hidayat said that ahead of the election runoff, the campaign teams were capitalizing on the strict definition of campaigning as the "verbalization of the candidates' political platforms" to hold "disguised" campaign rallies involving huge crowds.

"The deceptive and manipulative campaigning tends to make a fool out of the electorate, and this could harm the principle of a fair and free election," Komaruddin said here.

Komaruddin was commenting on the publication of a full-page, full-color advertisement in some newspapers, including Kompas daily, on Monday touting the achievements of President Megawati Soekarnoputri's administration in dealing with the economy.

The group behind the advertisement, the little-known Investigation, Mediation and Monitoring Foundation, also offered a quiz with Rp 14.1 billion (US$1.5 million) in total prizes up for grabs, some of the money in the form of scholarships.

It should not be too difficult to answer the questions, which were based on a fact sheet about the achievements of Megawati during her three-year term, which will end on Oct. 20.

Megawati will face Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in the Sept. 20 presidential election runoff.

Panwaslu member Didik Supriyanto questioned the capability of the foundation to place the ad and provide such huge prizes.

"How can such a little-known foundation promise so much prize money for the quiz? How has it collected the money and what is the prize money for?" Didik said.

A full-page, full-color advertisement in Kompas costs Rp 280.65 million.

Didik said the quiz, whether intentionally or not, was biased in favor of Megawati, as it clearly touts her administration's accomplishments.

"We will summon the organizers of the quiz this week to clarify whether or not they have any connection with the campaign teams of either presidential candidate," Didik said.

The quiz organizers have said that a number of state-owned companies donated the prize money for the quiz.

Last month, the campaign team of Megawati and her running mate Hasyim staged a "fun-walk" to honor one of the country's founding fathers. One lucky person walked away from the event with a new car.

The campaign team of Susilo and his running mate Jusuf Kalla have held similar activities that have drawn huge crowds.

The official campaign period for the runoff take place between Sept. 12 and Sept. 14.