House advised to regulate campaign advertisements

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Wed, 10/31/2007 4:48 PM

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Experts have called on the House of Representatives to insert articles regulating campaign ads in the media in the general elections law, to ensure campaign budget transparency.

The Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) said the regulation was crucial as most campaign budgets are spent on advertising, mainly on television.

""In the 1999 and 2004 presidential elections there were no regulations on massive campaign ads in the media.

""Such facts should be recognized with the new election law,"" a member of KPI's chapter in North Sumatra, Arya Mahendra Sinulingga, said during the launch of his book, titled Democratic Media Campaigns.

The book includes 11 articles regarding media campaigns in general elections.

He said the House should redefine campaigning, otherwise it would allow presidential candidates to organize campaigns before the allocated period.

The government-drafted election bill stipulates presidential candidates must not explain their mission or vision before the start of the campaign period.

""Promoting the candidates or political parties before the campaign period is illegal,"" Arya said.

The election law also must regulate parties eligible to put campaign ads in the media, he said.

""Those eligible for putting ads in the media are members of political parties and presidential and vice presidential candidates,"" he said.

""If the draft law regulates the registration of presidential candidates' campaign members, it must also regulate people who can place campaign ads in the media,"" Arya said.

By doing so, the General Elections Commission (KPU) could trace the total campaign budget for each candidate, he said.

""The media must also disclose to the KPU and the public who advertisers are,"" he said.

The book says media campaigns played an important role in the success of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's the 2004 presidential election. It says Yudhoyono spent 84 percent of his Rp 24 billion campaign budget on media advertising.

Former president Megawati Soekarnoputri allocated 72 percent of her Rp 27 billion campaign fund to the media in 2004, while Wiranto spent only 51 percent of his Rp 35 billion.

Out of Rp 103 billion spent on campaigns in 2004, about 68 percent went to media advertising and only 25 percent went to outdoor campaigns.

""Seeing the figures, it is logical to regulate media ads in election campaigns,"" Esthetic Science and Technology Foundation's Agus Sudibyo said.

He said the media could provide similar conditions for each candidate, including ads charges and fair coverage.

Arif Suditomo, chief editor at RCTI television station, said each form of media has its own regulations and editorial policies.

""We stick to the journalistic code of ethics. We don't want to lose viewers just to support one candidate in the general elections,"" he said.

The government announced Tuesday that 82 political parties had registered to participate in the 2009 legislative elections.

""But we will wait for the enactment of the election law before we can verify them,"" Director General of Law Administration at the Justice Ministry, Syarifudin Sinaga, said.

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