Bawaslu Warns Bojonegoro Against Money Politic

Bojonegoro, East Java (Antara) - The General Election Supervisory Committee (Bawaslu) has warned its rank and file in Bojonegoro district, East Java, against money politics during next Wednesday's legislative elections. "There is an indication that some legislative candidates in the district may practice money politics during the elections, and therefore we have to prevent it from happening," local Bawaslu spokesman Mustofirin stated here on Monday. Mustofirin noted that certain legislative candidates were suspected to have distributed a sum of money to a number of sub-districts, and therefore he has reminded them to stop such a practice. "We have contacted the suspected legislative candidates and told them to stop the practice of money politics," he pointed out. He also called on other legislative candidates from other political parties to avoid money politics, explaining that penalty will be severe, if they do so. "Our rank and file will coordinate with the police to impose penalty on those who are found to engage in money politics during the elections," he reiterated. In Kudus, Central Java, dozens of people who claimed to be members of the committee for clean elections staged a peaceful rally on Saturday, calling on the public to reject money politics during legislative election. During the rally, they unfurled banners that read, "Don't dream of Indonesia being free from corruption if the people's votes can be bought," and "Money politics is the root of corruption". They also carried a number of posters reading "Reject money politics" and "Receive their money, but don't vote for them to give them a lesson." Meanwhile, Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) analyst Abdullah Dahlan informed reporters in Jakarta on Sunday that Golkar party committed the largest number of money politics during the political campaigns ahead of the elections. "Golkar was recorded to have committed money politics in 23 cases during the week long campaign ending on Saturday," Abdullah Dahlan pointed out. According to him, the second largest number of money politic was committed by the National Mandate Party (PAN) with 19 cases, followed by the ruling Democratic Party with 17 cases, Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle 13 cases, and the United Development Party 12 cases. (*)