Haeril Halim, Jakarta – The Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party and People's Conscience (Hanura) Party appear to have bested the country's major political parties in terms of financial support.
The General Elections Commission (KPU) said all political parties taking part in the 2014 elections had submitted their bank account details and initial campaign fund reports on Friday.
"We will publish details of the reports three days after the deadline on the KPU's website," the KPU's Ferry Kurnia Rizkiyansyah said on Friday night.
Ferry said the reports submitted by political parties included details of the sources of campaign funds. "In March 2014, political parties will submit reports again on how they have used or spent their campaign budgets," he said.
According to information collected from political parties, Gerindra reported the highest campaign funds with Rp 144 billion (US$11.7 million). The party claimed the total campaign funds were collected from legislative candidates across Indonesia.
"We have yet to receive funds from other sources such as companies and individuals. The total also does not include the party's own cash [but is purely from legislative candidates]," Gerindra treasurer Thomas Acquinas Muliatna said in Jakarta on Friday.
Hanura, which is backed by media tycoon Hary Tanoesoedibjo, who the party has nominated as its vice presidential candidate, submitted its initial campaign fund report of Rp 135.5 billion, higher than the ruling Democratic Party's (PD) Rp 135 billion.
Meanwhile, the largest opposition party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), reported initial campaign funds of Rp 130 billion.
Political parties that reported no more than Rp 100 billion were the National Mandate Party (PAN) with Rp 86 billion; the Golkar Party with Rp 75 million; the National Awakening Party (PKB) with Rp 53 billion, the United Development Party (PPP) with Rp 45 billion; the National Democrat (NasDem) Party with Rp 41 billion; the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) with Rp 32 billion; the Crescent Star Party (PBB) Rp 26.9 billion; and the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI) with Rp 19 billion, Antara news agency reported on Friday evening.
In the 2009 general election, Gerindra also topped the list of political parties' reports of campaign funds, with Rp 308 billion, followed by the PD with Rp 234 billion; Golkar with Rp 164 billion; the PKS with Rp 36 billion; Hanura with Rp 19 billion; the PAN with Rp 18 billion; the PDI-P with Rp 10 billion; the PKB with Rp 3 billion; and the PPP with Rp 1 billion.