120 seats allocated for independent legislators<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The General Elections Commission (KPU) has reserved 120 out of
\n550 seats in the House of Representatives (DPR) for independent
\ncandidates in the 2004 election.<\/p>\n
The commission's planning bureau head, Suhaedy, said on
\nTuesday that the seat allotment was possible as the country would
\napply what was termed an \"open proportional system\", where people
\nwould choose candidates and not political parties as was the case
\nin the past.<\/p>\n
\"People will no longer select the symbol of a political party,
\nbut rather directly elect candidates presented by the parties,\"
\nSuhaedy said as quoted by Antara on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Indonesia will for the first time hold direct legislative and
\npresidential elections in 2004, when voters will choose
\nindividual candidates nominated by political parties.<\/p>\n
The legislative election will take place in April, while the
\npresidential election is expected to take place between June and
\nAugust 2004.<\/p>\n
\"Those who are disappointed by the performance of the
\npolitical parties can vote for independent candidates instead of
\nboycotting the election,\" Suhaedy said.<\/p>\n
The prevailing electoral law allows voters to choose
\ncandidates other than those nominated by political parties, but
\nthe independent candidates must be attached to a political party.<\/p>\n
Suhaedy said the seats were reserved to accommodate a possible
\nincrease in the number of people refusing to exercise their right
\nto vote due to a lack of confidence in the existing political
\nparties.<\/p>\n
Many rallies, especially by students, have called on the
\npublic not to vote in the 2004 election as none of the existing
\npolitical parties were competent to lead the country.<\/p>\n
Commission members have been campaigning for people to
\nexercise their voting rights, arguing that boycotting the
\nelection was tantamount to supporting the present government.<\/p>\n
Public administration expert Noorsyamsa Djumara concurred with
\nSuhaedy on Tuesday, saying that direct elections were designed to
\nensure that the democratic system would work in this country.<\/p>\n
\"Direct elections are supposed to bring the people closer to
\ntheir candidates,\" Noorsyamsa said.<\/p>\n
Suhaedy, however, pointed out the two-stage electoral process
\nin 2004 would require huge amounts of money.<\/p>\n
\"For the ballot papers alone, we will need about 20 pages for
\neach voter as we have to state the names of the candidates from
\nat least 50 political parties,\" Suhaedy said.<\/p>\n
He further disclosed that in the 1999 election, the total cost
\nof the election was Rp 1.6 trillion (US$195million), while for
\nthe coming 2004 elections, the commission would need Rp 1.34
\ntrillion just to provide the ballot papers.<\/p>\n
Suhaedy added that for the whole election process from the
\npreparations to the resolution of any post-election disputes, the
\ncommission would need around Rp 5 trillion.<\/p>",
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