Two Cabinet Ministers Violate Campaign Rules

Jakarta (Antara) - The Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) stated, here on Wednesday, that two cabinet ministers had been indicated of violating campaign rules. "Pak (Mr) Suryadharma Ali and Pak Cicip have campaigned without a leave permit," Bawaslu commissioner Nelson Simanjuntak pointed out. He explained that Suryadharma, the religious affairs minister, had become a speaker at a campaign rally in Malang, East Java on March 17 while Cicip, the minister of marine resources and fisheries, in Demak, Central Java, on March 16; the two did not apply for a leave permit either to the General Elections Commission (KPU) nor Bawaslu. Nelson remarked that the cases were now being processed by Bawaslu chapters in Malang and Demak. Bawaslu meanwhile stated that Hanura Party and PDIP have so far violated most number of campaign rules between March 16 and 25. "Hanura is the party with the biggest indications of violations of up to 48, followed by PDIP with 47 indications of violations," he declared. They are followed by Nasdem Party with 39 indications of violations, Golkar Party 29, the Democrat Party 23, Gerindra 23, PKB 21, PKS 17, PAN 16, PPP 13, PBB 9 and PKPI 2. The twelve national political parties have been involved in campaign rallies since the opening on March 16, and will stop campaigning on April 5, ahead of the district/city, provincial and national legislative elections on April 9. (*) Reporting by Anita Permata Dewi