The Gerindra Party has emerged as the biggest spender in the 2014 legislative election.
In its final campaign financial report, the party claims to have spent Rp 435 billion (US$37.5 million) on its campaign, eightfold more than the Rp 53 billion the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI) spent on its campaign.
The PKPI spent less than any other party on its campaign.
Behind Gerindra is the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), which spent Rp 404 billion, followed closely by the Golkar Party with Rp 402 billion.
Next on the list is the Hanura Party, which spent Rp 365.7 billion.
Despite being the fourth biggest spender, many quick count results showed that in terms of electoral support the party fell far short of its own expectation, coming in tenth place out of the 12 parties contesting the legislative election.
Following Hanura is the Democratic Party with Rp 307 billion; the NasDem Party with Rp 277.5 billion; and the National Mandate Party (PAN) with Rp 272 billion.
Islamic parties round up the bottom of the pool, with the National Awakening Party (PKB) spending Rp 244 billion; the United Development Party (PPP) spending Rp 157 billion; the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) spending Rp 121 billion; and the Crescent Star Party (PBB) spending Rp 71.3 billion.
All of the parties submitted their campaign financial reports before Thursday’s deadline of 6 p.m.
“All parties passed, they will not be thrown out [of the election],” General Elections Commission (KPU) legal bureau head Nur Syarifah said on Thursday.
KPU commissioner Ida Budhiati, meanwhile, said that the final campaign financial reports would now be submitted to the private companies that had won the auditing tenders.
According to her, there were two audit methods: “The first is on compliance. The second is to lay out the facts found during the audit process,” Ida said.
The audit process will take 30 days, she added. “The results will be submitted to the KPU five days after, at the latest,” Syarifah said. “The KPU will announce [the results] as it is, meaning we won’t comment.”
Most of the parties obtained their campaign funds from their legislative candidates across Indonesia.
For example, Gerindra received Rp 400 billion from its candidates out of Rp 435 billion that it managed to collect. The party received Rp 27 billion from companies and Rp 4.1 billion from individuals.
Source/Fuente: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/04/25/gerindra-pdi-p-top-spender...
