Drowned kids mar election campaitn
Written by Writer on Saturday, October 25th, 2008
Drowned kids mar election campaitn
Multa Fidrus , The Jakarta Post , Tangerang | Fri, 10/24/2008 1:36 PM | City
The Tangerang municipal poll watchdog (Panwas) and local police are investigating a series of alleged electoral breaches by candidates including a campaign event at Lake Cipondoh in which two children drowned.
At the event for candidate pair Wahidin Halim and Arief R. Wismansyah, several violations of the electoral regulations reportedly occurred. The most serious allegation breached a law regarding the involvement of children in the campaign.
The organizing committee for the event, chaired by Syachrudin, Cipondoh district chief, asked residents to scramble for one ton of fish released into the lake.
Two children, identified as 10-year-old Eko Nur Faizi and 14-year-old Aditya, were allegedly among hundreds of residents who plunged into the water. The pair subsequently drowned among the crowds.
Cipondoh Police chief Insp. Sukarna said police were still looking into the incident to determine whether those distributing the fish acted negligently during the event.
“We will question all the organizing committee members as witnesses but so far haven’t decided whether any of them will be named as suspects,” he said.
The Tangerang municipal poll watchdog (Panwas) chairman, Syafril Elain, said Thursday the involvement of children and civil servants in the campaign event for Wahidin, the incumbent, and Arief was considered a serious breach.
He said besides Wahidin and Arief, the other two pairs of candidates also reportedly committed minor violations of electoral regulations.
“We began to receive reports of violations being committed by candidates on the first day of campaigning, ranging from the use of children, excessive use of vehicles and placing campaign posters in the areas far before the campaign period had started,” he said.
According to Syafril, the other two pairs of candidates, Muhamad Bonie Mudfijar and Diedy Farid Waji, and Ismet Sadeli Hasan and Mahfud Abdullah, only violated minor regulations set by the municipal Elections Commission (KPUD).
“However the use of minors and civil servants in the campaign is a serious offense,” Syafril said. Both KPUD law and a government regulation forbid administration officials and district and subdistrict chiefs from campaigning on behalf of any municipal candidates.
Syafril said the campaign watchdog would suggest that the KPUD impose sanctions against the offending candidates.
“We will also advise the KPUD to process two of 11 violations reported to Panwas during the campaign period because they are serious violations,” Syafril said.
Supporters for Wahidin and Arief erected banners before the campaign period had begun while supporters of Bonie and Waji (Niji) were reportedly spreading hatred, accusations of blackmail and defaming candidates Wahidin and Arief.
KPUD chairman Imron Khamami said the commission had sent warnings to the candidates over these violations.
“The campaign period ran peacefully. However, we will impose administrative sanctions to each pair of candidates because they committed administrative violations,” he said.
The campaign started on Oct. 10 and ended Thursday. The election is scheduled for Oct. 26.
