Dewi Nurita, Jakarta – Election Supervisory Board (Bawaslu) commissioner Mochammad Afifuddin said the fundraising advertisement of presidential and vice presidential pair Jokowi-Ma'ruf Amin had violated campaign rules. A Bawaslu team has started an investigation into the case.
"It is a violation of campaign rules, today afternoon, our team visits Media Indonesia and later to Koran Sindo," said Afifuddin at Four Point Hotel, Central Jakarta, Friday, Oct 19.
Earlier, the National Campaign Team (TKN) of Jokowi-Ma'ruf reportedly violated campaign rules when it placed advertisement in two newspapers, viz. Koran Sindo and Media Indonesia. The ad showed a photograph of Jokowi and Ma'ruf along with its election number and a note that reads "Jokowi-Ma'ruf Amin for Indonesia".
TKN deputy head Abdul Kadir Karding argued the commercial was not a form of campaign, but rather a publication of the candidates' account number for supporters. "It aims at disseminating the special account number of the campaign funds," he said.
The campaign team still placed the commercial until yesterday, Oct 18. If it were a violation, Abdul added, Bawaslu should have disseminated the rules in advance.
Afifuddin has dismissed Abdul's statement, saying Bawaslu had disseminated the rules before the campaign period commenced. Bawaslu, he added, also invited both presidential camps on Oct 3 to inform them about the rules of campaign ads in mass media.
"The two national campaign teams were present at that time. The Prabowo camp was represented by Pak Djoko Santoso, and the Jokowi camp by Irfan Pulungan," Arif explained.
General Election Commission (KPU) commissioner Hasyim Asyari, meanwhile, said the fundraising ad could be categorized as a campaign act as it happened before the campaign period in mass media – both in print and electronic media – that would begin 21 days prior to the voting day.