West Java regents busy on the campaign trail

Yuli Tri Suwarni ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Bandung   |  Fri, 04/04/2008 1:17 AM  |  Headlines

Despite a regulation requiring public officials to take leave before taking part in election campaign, several sitting regents in West Java have been seen campaigning for gubernatorial candidates.

Ahead of the election scheduled for April 13, several regents are campaigning for governor candidate Danny Setiawan and running mate Iwan Sulandjana. The pair have been nominated by the Golkar Party and Democratic Party.

On Thursday morning, Bandung Regent Obar Sobarna addressed a large crowd of Golkar supporters in the city. In his speech, Obar urged the crowd to vote for Danny and Iwan, who have been designated candidate pair number one by the local elections commission.

"Let's help pair number one succeed. Don't forget to tell your neighbors, family and close acquaintances," Obar told the gathered crowd.

He said he was campaigning out of party loyalty.

"This is my obligation as the head of Golkar in the regency. I don't feel it is wrong," said Obar, when questioned about his attendance at the campaign rally during work hours.

Setia Permana, the head of West Java's provincial elections commission, said under a regulation issued last year, regents had to apply for a leave of absence with the governor before participating in campaigns.

However, Setia said all the commission could do was issue warnings to regents found violating the regulation.

"We can issue a strong warning as the (regents) should take a leave before addressing campaign rallies," he said.

He said it was difficult to monitor "incidental" campaigners among bureaucrats, such as regents, and whether they were officially on leave.

Public officials who are banned from campaigning are judges, employees of regional or state-owned companies, civil servants and village heads.

Karawang Regent Dadang S. Muchtar and Indramayu Regent Irianto Syafiuddin have also campaigned for candidate Danny.

The regent of Sumedang, Don Murdono, who is from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), will campaign next week for the pair of Agum Gumelar and Nu'man Abdul Hakim.

Agum and Nu'man have been nominated by the PDI-P, the United Development Party (PPP) and a coalition of five other parties.

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