Bawaslu to question JKW on campaigning allegations

JAKARTA. An official with the Election Supervisory Committee (Bawaslu) said the agency would question the Joko "Jokowi" Widodo-Jusuf Kalla campaign over charges that it had begun campaigning before the official period starting June 4.

Jokowi-Kalla are backed by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), along with the NasDem Party, the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the Hanura Party.

“Based on a meeting on Sunday night, our members have agreed to question Jokowi regarding his statement during the drawing of his ballot position, as well as an advertisement featuring him with Kalla on television,” Bawaslu member Nasrullah said as quoted by kompas.com on Tuesday.

On Sunday, Jokowi made a campaign-related statement during his speech after drawing the number "2" as their ballot position in the July 9 presidential election. Jokowi said two was a number of balance and that people should vote for Kalla and him.

Meanwhile, Nasrullah said an advertisement of Jokowi-Kalla had appeared several times on television on Sunday and Monday, even though the campaign period had not yet started.

“The summon is exclusive to Jokowi-Kalla, and not for their campaign managers. Bawaslu can summon anyone that we think is responsible according to the 2008 Presidential Election Law,” he said.

Nasrullah added that the questioning would also be conducted on Wednesday for the management of the television channel that had broadcast the advertisement, in order to help Bawaslu decide whether Jokowi-Kalla should be penalized. (gda)