Surabaya Election Watchdog Discovers Hundreds Violations

Surabaya, E Java (Antara) - The Surabaya City Election Supervisory Committee (Panwalsu) has found hundreds of violations committed by the campaign teams of two presidential candidates. Chief of the city election committee Wahyu Hariyadi said on Tuesday the committee had recorded a total of 293 violations by both the candidate pairs, including putting up campaign audio visuals near schools and places of worship. However, none of the violations has been dealt with, as neither KPU nor Panwaslu has the authority to do so, he said. Wahyu said the committee had not yet found other forms of campaign violations. He expressed hope that the local people will participate in the five-yearly fiesta of democracy. Prabowo Subianto, who is chief patron of the Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party, will compete with nonactive Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo in the presidential race on July 9. Prabowo was nominated by the Gerindra-led coalition of six parties, including the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Golkar Party, the Justice and Prosperous Party (PKS), the Crescent and Star Party (PBB), and the United Development Party (PPP), while Joko Widodo was nominated by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), the National Democrat (Nasdem) Party, the National Awakening Party (PKB), the People's Conscience Party (Hanura), and the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI). (*) Reported by Abdul Hakim