Officials from state-owned enterprises working for the campaign teams of presidential candidates should not play dumb in the face of criminal punishment because of their involvement in the teams, experts say.

“It’s weird that respected and educated state firm officials do not know about the law that restricts them from campaigning,” Hadar Navis Gumay, chairman of the Center for Electoral Reform, said Wednesday.

According to Law No. 42/2008 on Presidential Elections, state firm officials are restricted from campaigning for candidates. Violators of the law can be sentenced to 24 months in prison and fined Rp 50 million (US$4,966).

Hadar said that even though some officials had resigned from their positions, either in the company or in the campaign teams, they would still be responsible for any prior involvement in campaign teams.

“The participation of state officials in campaign teams cannot just be forgotten. The campaign teams should also take responsibility for including state firm officials in their activities,” he said.

He said the Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) should process reports on state officials campaigning and file them to the National Police.

“Let Bawaslu decide the extent of the violation and have the police process the case,” he said.

Irmanputra Sidin, a law expert, said the Bawaslu should immediately investigate cases concerning state officials who were clearly involved in presidential campaign teams, as well as their teams.

“Officials who support a candidate by establishing or leading a campaign team are guilty. Those who resigned from their positions after the campaign period began on June 2 are also guilty,” he said.

“Campaign teams that include state firm officials without approval are also guilty.”

The Bawaslu has been closely monitoring state firm officials involved in the campaign teams of presidential candidates’ and is now extending its surveillance to other state and local officials.

As of Wednesday, more than 23 state firm officials were being investigated, but only two had officially clarified their position.

Raden Pardede, president commissioner of the Asset Management Company (PT PPA), and Umar Said, a commissioner at the state oil and gas company, PT Pertamina, have clarified their involvement in the campaign team of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Boediono.

Raden has resigned from his position to focus on campaigning, while Umar said his name had been listed without his consent.

Meanwhile, Hatta Rajasa, head of the Yudhoyono and Boediono campaign team, said that he had dropped nine members of his team who are commissioners of state firms.

“We have dropped nine of our campaign team members who are also commissioners in state firms,” he said.

“The state firms’ commissioners were listed on the campaign team before there were any confirmations whether commissioners are allowed in campaign teams.”

The number of involved state officials could increase significantly after the watchdog intensifies its surveillance.

To increase surveillance of state officials during the presidential election, the watchdog held a meeting in Jakarta on Wednesday. (fmb)

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