The presidential election candidate teams will quietly raise the curtain on their first day of campaigning Tuesday.
As of today, presidential election teams are allowed to display their campaign material in public spaces and display ads in mass media until July 4.
However, campaigning is still restricted to closed meetings among party members until June 12. Mass rallies will take place from June 12 to July 4.
Fadly Zon, from the Megawati Soekarnoputri and Prabowo camp, said Monday that Megawati would kick things off by attending the opening of her Lampung province team’s campaign Tuesday, while Prabowo would attend several closed meetings with campaign volunteers in Jakarta.
“Then Megawati and Prabowo will go to the House of Representatives to listen to legislators' wishlists in front of her party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle [PDI-P],” he said.
He also said on June 14, Megawati and Prabowo would attend their campaign team launch activities in East Java.
“The declaration will take place at the Lapindo mudflow site in Porong, Sidoarjo. "
The General Elections Commission (KPU) reported the Megawati and Prabowo campaign team was supported by 74 members, including prominent politicians such as Theo Syafei, Sony Keraf and Hasto Kristiyanto.
Meanwhile, Milton Pakpahan, from the Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) and Boediono campaign team, said nothing special had been prepared for the first day of the campaign period.
“Pak SBY is still on a three-day visit to South Korea since Sunday. We’ll wait for him to return before we start the campaign,” he said.
The first thing on SBY and Boediono's agenda, he said, was a closed meeting among party and coalition party members to be held Thursday, followed by a speech expected to be heard by around 1,000 to 1,200 members of the Democratic Party and coalition parties.
“SBY and Boediono will also appear on a talk show on a local TV station the same day."
The KPU reported the SBY and Boediono campaign team was supported by 347 members, including several ministers such as Hatta Rajasa, Freddy Numberi, Suryadharma Ali, Taufik Effendi, Meutia Hatta, Jero Wacik and Lukman Edy.
Fahmi Idris, head of the Jusuf Kalla and Wiranto campaign team, said no special event would be held to mark the first day of campaigning.
“We will start by displaying posters and other campaign materials.
"Jusuf Kalla and Wiranto will attend several closed meetings with members of supporting parties.”
The Jusuf Kalla and Wiranto campaign team is supported by around 800 members, including several ministers, such as Aburizal Bakrie, Andi Mattalata, Fahmi Idris, and Paskah Suzetta, the KPU reported.
Despite the regulation stipulating campaigning only begins Tuesday, all candidates are suspected of having violated the regulation by starting their campaigning early, the Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) reported.
Meanwhile, the Indonesia Committee on Religions for Peace has called on the candidates to compete fairly and respect pluralism.
Syamsulbahri, a KPU member, said the commission would hold a rally advocating a peaceful campaign on June 10, which all candidates would attend. (fmb)
