Zoning system proposed in new campaign rules

JAKARTA (JP): The National Council for Defense and Security submitted its proposal for a new set of election campaign rules yesterday, seeking to prevent the violence seen in past campaigns but without reducing people's participation.

The new rules will do away with the system of alternating campaign days for the contestants in any given area, council secretary-general Lt. Gen. (ret) Soekarto said after presenting the draft to President Soeharto at Merdeka Palace.

The authorities will introduce a zoning system to prevent the likelihood of supporters of different political parties running into each other, Soekarto said.

It is then up to the campaign organizers to ensure their supporters are confined to their designated zones, he said.

Their ability to regulate their own campaigns will also affect their image, he said, stressing that voters would base their decision on this.

The zoning system would prevent supporters from holding motorcades which have often caused massive traffic congestion in large cities like Jakarta.

The proposal seeks to abolish the previous rule of limiting campaigns to regency towns, he said, adding that if approved, election contestants could campaign in villages.

"They can campaign in the districts, kampongs or even down to small neighborhoods.

They can even choose a remote village if they want to, but then they might not find enough people there," he said.

He also assured the campaign rules would afford equal treatment to all three political groups contesting the elections -- Golkar, the United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).

Soekarto stressed that while the new rules would not ban election rallies, they would emphasize dialog between the election candidates and voters.

The council, comprising mainly retired military officers, was asked by President Soeharto in September to draw up a new set of campaign rules for next year's election, stressing the need to prevent chaos and violence which have marred past election campaigns.

Soekarto said the council had consulted all three political groups, as well as scholars, government officials and experts, in drafting the new rules. He expressed confidence the proposal had the support of all the three political groups.

It is now up to President Soeharto on whether to adopt the proposal, which would come either in the form of a government regulation or a presidential decree, he said, adding that he expected this to happen soon.

The council is also proposing to extend the campaign period from 25 to 27 days, and shorten the "cooling off" period from seven to five days before the polling day.

The National Election Institute has tentatively set the campaign period from April 29 to May 23. The date for voting will be made by presidential decree, but it is expected at the end of May.

Soekarto stressed the campaign rules would be considered successful if they did not stifle people's enthusiasm in taking part in the election campaigns, but at the same time ensured order. (imn)

PPP -- Page 2