POLICE STOP INVESTIGATION INTO BAWASLU REPORT ON SBY

Jakarta, June 16 (ANTARA) - The National Police Headquarters has ordered a stop to an investigation initiated based on a report from the Election Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) that the Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono-Boediono ticket had held a campaign rally earlier than officially scheduled.

"I have instructed (investigators) to stop the investigation," Commissioner General Susno Duadji, head of the National Police's criminal investigation department, said at the National Police Headquarters here on Tuesday.
He said the national police had investigated and examined several witnesses on the implementation of the national gathering of the political party coalition supporting SBY-Boediono which had been reported by Bawaslu as a violation.

Based on the results of the investigation and grilling of some witnesses, the police concluded that the national gathering which was held on May 30, 2008, at the Jakarta Fair ground, Kemayoran, central Jakarta, was not a campaigning activity, he said.

The gathering was held in a closed place and could be considered as an internal and closed meeting as it did not involve outside masses.

Concerning the live broadcast of the event by television stations, he said it was seen as an element beyond the organizer's will.

Based on that considerations, the Police's criminal investigation unit suggested that the investigation on Bawaslu's report should be stopped, he said.

Meanwhile, Hatta Radjasa of the Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono-Boediono campaign team told the press recently after holding a one-hour closed door meeting with Bawaslu, that the May 30 event was pure a gathering to make internal preparations of the coalesced 24 political parties for the presidential election's campaign later.

Bawaslu has reported the SBY-Boediono campaign team to the National Police's Criminal Investigation Unit (Bareskrim Polri) for allegedly starting its campaign activity earlier than the officially-set date.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) has set schedules for closed door campaigning from June 2 to 10, and mass rallies from June 11 to July 4, 2009. The presidential elections will be held on July 8, 2009.