T

he Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party is charging its legislative candidates Rp 300 million (US$30,9000) to pay for logistical expenses during the balloting process.

Gerindra deputy chairman Fadli Zon said the money would be used by the party to pay fees for witnesses deployed at the polling stations on balloting days, as well as for the purchase of campaign paraphernalia.

“Elections are a costly business and we’ve asked for contributions from each individual candidate,” Fadli said as quoted by kompas.com in Semarang, Central Java on Wednesday.

Fadli said that by asking candidates to pay for their own expenses, Gerindra expected they would not resort to graft when they were elected for office.

He said the party did not want political candidates to be bankrolled by businesspeople who would then demand a return for their money.

“This is like a cross-subsidy. Candidates with capacity and influence but with little money can get the subsidy,” Fadli said.

In its recent survey, Transparency International Indonesia (TII) found Gerindra to be the most transparent political party in the country.

The party scored 3.74 on a scale of 4 by being transparent in the management of its finances, including the full disclosure of its donors, reporting party assets and other book keeping details.