News

Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Gen. Moeldoko said he regretted the tardiness of a request for help in organizing the upcoming April 9 legislative election from the General Elections Commission (KPU).

“I offered the KPU my help last year but it barely responded. Now, with the election drawing near, just a week away, it finally requests back up. I will do it anyway but I must draw a firm line first so the TNI won’t be blamed should anything go wrong,” Moeldoko told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

The National Police chief of operational assistance, Insp. Gen. Arif Wachyunadi, has said the incidence of political violence in Aceh was increasing. So far this campaign season the police have recorded 24 cases of political violence, three more than were recorded during the 2009 general election. 

Arif highlighted that heated tension and competition between rival parties was likely the source of the violence.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) has announced an increasing number of damaged ballots, from the earlier amount of 1.5 million to the current 2.7 million.

“We have received reports of 2.7 million damaged ballots, approximately 0.37 percent out of the total number. It is widespread in 301 regencies and municipalities,” KPU commissioner Arief Budiman said on Tuesday as quoted by kompas.com.

He said the KPU would verify the number of reported damaged ballots before reprinting the ballots.

The Islamic-based United Development Party (PPP) has an eye on six figures from outside the party that it is considering naming as its presidential- vice presidential candidates for the 2014 presidential election.

“The six figures being considered by the PPP are Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, Jusuf Kalla, Din Syamsuddin, Jimly Asshiddiqie, Isran Noor and Khofifah Indar Parawansa,” said PPP secretary-general Romahurmuziy after a campaign rally in Jember, East Java, on Tuesday, as quoted by Antara news agency.

The Elections Monitoring Agency (Bawaslu), in cooperation with the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI), has found that three political parties contesting in the 2014 election have allegedly violated campaign advertising regulations.

Bawaslu intends to summons officials from the parties that allegedly breached the rules to seek clarification.

“We will summons them for questioning next week,” Bawaslu staff member Nasrullah said on Monday, as quoted by tempo.co.

The three parties are the Golkar Party, the Hanura Party and the NasDem Party.

Jakarta. The Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) has said a coalition with its one-time ally and now biggest rival, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) is still possible, despite escalating political tension and obvious competition.

Gerindra chairman Suhardi said on Monday that the party was still open to a coalition with any political party, including with the PDI-P.

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Democratic Party Struggle (PDIP) has stated that it believed it could face smear campaign that has so far been launched on its presidential candidate, Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

"PDIP thinks the attack is part of the steep road that a leader must take," party Secretary General Tjahjo Kumolo declared in an electronic message received here on Tuesday.

He pointed out that all party functionaries must remain calm with regard to the smear campaign against PDIP and Jokowi (Joko Widodo).

An Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) campaign rally led by chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri in Sleman, Yogyakarta, on Tuesday afternoon nearly devolved into chaos after local party officials confronted a large group of motorists who had been attempting to disrupt the event.

During the event, held at Denggung Square, hundreds of spectators on wearing PDI-P gear showed obvious disinterest in what was happening on stage and got on their motorbikes and continuously revved their engines.

Former Democratic Party chairman and graft and money laundering suspect Anas Urbaningrum seems to have a lot of bullets to shoot at his former boss and current party chairman President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

After a round of questioning at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Friday night, Anas said an audit report of Yudhoyono’s 2009 reelection campaign finances he submitted to investigators listed bogus donors — both individuals and corporations — whose names were used to cover up illicit funds allegedly funneled from the Bank Century bailout.