Hans Nicholas Jong, Jakarta – The General Elections Commission (KPU) has finished drawing up campaign schedules for political parties contesting the 2014 legislative election.
The KPU has decided that each of the 12 political parties will have the opportunity to hold seven campaign events in each of the country's 77 electoral districts between March 16 and April 5. In total, a party will be able to stage up to 539 campaign events over 21 days.
"For a province with one or two electoral districts, the number of campaign slots in that province is fewer than those with more electoral districts," KPU commissioner Ferry Kurnia Rizkiyansyah said on Thursday.
For example, a party would only be allowed to hold two campaign events in a province with two electoral districts. Meanwhile, the number of campaign events that a party could organize in a province with more than five districts was five.
In Jakarta, Banten and North Sumatra, parties can hold three campaign events. In West Java, Central Java and East Java, parties will each have five non-consecutive days of campaigning.
"In remaining provinces there will be only two opportunities to campaign. East Java has 11 electoral districts, which is why a party can campaign there five times. In the case of small provinces like Bali where there is only one electoral district, a party can only campaign twice there," Ferry said.
Ferry said the schedule had been approved by the KPU and would not undergo any major changes, except on March 31, when Hindus celebrate Nyepi (Hindu Day of Silence). "We [the KPU and regional branches] have agreed there will be no campaigning [on Nyepi]," he said.
As a consequence, the KPU has made adjustments in campaign schedules in four provinces, namely West Nusa Tenggara, Bangka-Belitung, Bengkulu and Bali.
To anticipate potential clashes between political parties, he said the KPU would continue coordinating with local elections commissions (KPUDs) and local branches of political parties to find the most suitable locations for outdoor gatherings of party supporters.
The KPU anticipates potential glitches in Lampung as the gubernatorial election was likely coincide with the legislative election. The Lampung gubernatorial election was initially scheduled for Oct. 2 last year, but was postponed due to a lack of funding.
Ferry said it was important for the KPUD Lampung to make sure that campaigning for the gubernatorial election did not coincide with that of the legislative election.
KPUD Lampung commissioner Solihin said the local election body would try to avoid simultaneous campaigning. "But there are some issues that we have to consult with the KPU, like the issue of gubernatorial candidates attending campaign events of the political party backing them," he said.