Indonesia starts poll campaign

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JAKARTA, Jul 12 (AFP) : Indonesia kicked off a mammoth nine-month legislative election campaign Saturday with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's ruling coalition under pressure over soaring food and fuel prices.

Indonesia's election committee (KPU) opened the campaign with restrictions on public rallies and a warning to the 34 eligible parties to avoid the rowdy street protests and cash payments to voters that are common to elections here.

"To mark the nine-month campaign, we have invited leaders of the political parties to sign a peaceful declaration on Saturday. We hope it will prevent them from engaging in 'black' campaigns," KPU member Abdul Azis was quoted as saying by The Jakarta Post.

The April election will see the parties vie for places in Indonesia's 682-member parliament in a prelude to the presidential poll next year, setting the stage for frenzied deal-making in the world's third-largest democracy.