What is campaigning? Political parties wonder

Kurniawan Hari The Jakarta Post Jakarta

The Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) asked the General Elections Commission (KPU) and the 24 political parties eligible for the elections to reach a common understanding on several campaign regulations, which the committee described as "gray areas".

Panwaslu chairman Komaruddin Hidayat said that the KPU and other political parties must be in full agreement in regard to campaigning methods and principles.

"Without coordination between KPU and the political parties, the campaign regulations will be useless," he said during an informal meeting with representatives of 24 political parties here on Thursday.

He said the meeting was held to hear the perceptions of the political parties on the activities considered to be political campaigning.

Committee member Topo Santoso added that the KPU and political parties must focus on at least two items: The definition of campaigning and the penalty for offenders.

The Law No. 12/2003 on General Elections does not specify the definition of a campaign. It only mentions a few restrictions during the campaign.

A regulation issued by the KPU, No.701/2003, defines a campaign as an effort aimed at convincing non-party members to vote for the party by publicizing its manifesto through the mass media, in public places or at meetings during the period designated by KPU.

The need to specify the definition of a campaign has become more urgent after the United Development Party (PPP) and the National Awakening Party (PKB) held mass gatherings recently -- before the official campaign season has begun.

KPU has set March 11 through April 1, 2004 as the period for campaigning.

PPP chairman Hamzah Haz dismissed accusations that his party was illegally campaigning, saying that the mass gathering was part of the party's anniversary celebration.

During the meeting, Ade Nasution from the Reform Star Party (PBR) also defended several mass gatherings the party had organized.

He said that party chairman Zainuddin MZ, a noted Muslim preacher, always organized mass gatherings and would continue to do so "as long as Islam exists". "So give us the criterion of a campaign," he ordered.

Laurens Siburian said the KPU must clearly regulate the "dos and don'ts" for political parties, so parties can hold standard member meetings without violating regulations.

Also addressed in the meeting was the need to increase the number of supervisory committees at the subdistrict level.

Al Muzamil Yusuf, co-chairman of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), proposed the creation of a forum to support law enforcement during the campaign period.

He said the forum should comprise representatives from all 24 parties as well as the general public to support the subdistrict Election Supervisory Committees in their duties.

Based on the election law, the number of such Committees in subdistrict areas shall not be more than five.