Jakarta. The General Elections Commission (KPU) on Saturday disqualified a group of Regional Legislative Council (DPD) candidates, and in some cases entire parties, for late or nonexistent campaign finance transparency paperwork submissions. The banned parties and candidates have been barred from participation in the April 9 general elections.
“We [disqualified political parties] in 39 districts and cities, and DPD candidates in 17 provinces,” KPU commissioner Ferry Kurnia Riskiyansyah said on Saturday, as quoted by news portal Tribunnews.com.
He declined to say which races would be affected or which parties and candidates had been banned.
He said that all campaign finance paperwork was due on Match 2 and all banned parties and candidates failed to submit it by that date.
“We made the decisions based on these two factors: If they did not submit, [and if] they did not have good intentions,” Ferry said.
The submission of the paperwork was required under the 2012 Law on General Elections.
Those who have received sanction may file appeals to the Elections Supervisory Body (Bawaslu).
Earlier this week, KPU chief Husni Kamil Manik said that the commission would eventually release the names of the candidates and parties that failed to submit transparency paperwork, as well as the content of all proper submissions.
“We will announce all important documents that show campaign funding so that the people know,” he said. “Let the people be the judge.”
The KPU on Saturday organized an “Campaign Integrity Declaration” across the country, meant to help ensure fair election.
“The objective was to remind election participant to campaign according to the regulation and within the official campaign period,” Husni said on Saturday.
Source/Fuente: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/kpu-bans-parties-candidates-election...
