O

fficials at state firms linked with campaign efforts for presidential candidates may still face criminal punishment even if they end their involvement in election politics, an official watchdog said Tuesday.

"Even though they have resigned, one cannot ignore the fact that for a while they helped presidential candidates with their campaigning," Wirdyaningsih, a member of the Election Supervisory Body, said Tuesday.

She said the watchdog was still investigating the extent to which state officials were involved in campaigning for presidential candidates.

"If they meet the requirements for criminal punishment, as stated in the presidential election law, then we will report them to the National Police," she said.

According to the Presidential Election Law No. 42/2008, officials at state firms are restricted from campaigning for presidential candidates in the election. Anyone found guilty of breaching this law could face up to 24 months in prison and fines of up to Rp 50 million.

Data from the election body suggests there are 20 officials at state firms involved in campaign efforts for presidential candidates. There are 16 pushing for Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) and Boediono, four for Jusuf Kalla and Wiranto and none involved with Megawati and Prabowo.

Only one, president commissioner at the state owned Asset Management Company (PT PPA), Raden Pardede, has officially admitted his involvement in a campaign team.

"Raden has resigned from his post at his company and will continue to work for the SBY and Boediono campaign team," Wirdyaningsih said.

Raden sent a letter of resignation to his company on June 12, she said, and the body would still have to confirm the letter with the minister for state owned enterprises.

"Raden said, through his legal advisor, that he was involved in the campaign team upon the request of his close friend, Boediono," she said.

Wirdyaningsih said the election watchdog would summon the other officials and announce the final conclusions of its investigation on June 18.

"President commissioner of state owned telecommunication company PT Telkom Tanri Abeng said that he would come to our office today to clarify his position in the Jusuf Kalla and Wiranto campaign, but he didn't show up," she said.

Other state firm officials, such as the chairman of the supervisory board of the state security printer Peruri, Achdari, and president commissioner of state oil and gas company PT Pertamina, Sutanto, have resigned from the SBY and Boediono campaign team but not yet officially reported to the election watchdog.

"Achdari has been dropped from the SBY and Boediono campaign team by the team itself, but we haven't received official clarification from the individual concerned," Wirdyaningsih said.

Pertamina said Sutanto would cease campaigning for SBY and Boediono and continue focusing on his job as a commissioner.

Despite being registered on the SBY and Boediono campaign team list, Umar Said, a commissioner at Pertamina, denied he played any role whatsoever in campaign efforts.