48 parties eligible to contest election<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government announced on Thursday that 48
\npolitical parties had passed the Team of Eleven's screening and
\nwere qualified to contest the June 7 general elections.<\/p>\n
Minister of Home Affairs Syarwan Hamid told a media conference
\nhere the parties have been screened by the independent team
\ncomprising 11 respected scholars and activists rather than by the
\ngovernment. This was meant to ensure a free and fair election, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"The government did not interfere once in the whole selection
\nprocess and the team, whose members are people with integrity,
\nwas really independent in making its decision ,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The team was disbanded on Thursday to make way for the
\nestablishment of the National Elections Committee (KPU) which
\nwill be in charge of further steps in the organizing of the
\nelections.<\/p>\n
Among the 48 eligible parties are the United Development Party
\n(PPP), the dominant ruling Golkar Party and the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI), which were the only three parties
\nrecognized under the New Order regime of Soeharto.<\/p>\n
The new parties included in the list were the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), the National
\nAwakening Party (PKB), the National Mandate Party (PAN), the
\nJustice Party, the Justice and Unity Party (PKP), the Indonesian
\nWorkers Party (PPI), the National Labor Party (PBN), the Ummat
\nNahdlatul Party (NU), the Democratic People's Party (PRD) and the
\nIndonesian United Democratic Party (PUDI).<\/p>\n
Syarwan, who chaired the outgoing General Elections Institute
\n(LPU), said: \"The team has worked day and night and has completed
\ntheir task successfully. The results are the best they can do ...
\nwe cannot demand more from them,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Some representatives of the disqualified parties marched to
\nthe general elections institute to protest the selection results,
\nand to demand the government allow them to contest the poll.<\/p>\n
Among them were the Indonesian Diamond Party (PMI), the
\nIndonesian Republic Party (PRI), the Nationhood Party and the
\nUmmat Dynamics Party (PDU).<\/p>\n
Bambang Widhyatomo, PDU chairman, called on the government to
\nallow all parties listed at the justice ministry to contest the
\nelections in order to help form a democratic government.<\/p>\n
\"It is the parties' right to compete in the elections to prove
\nwhether they have public support or not,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Agus Miftach, the chairman of the Indonesian People's Party
\n(PARI), expressed skepticism over the selection.<\/p>\n
\"Despite the fact that we passed the screening, we think the
\nresults remain controversial because the team's existence and the
\nnew political laws upon which the team based their selection
\nprocedure are still being disputed by many parties,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Team leader Nurcholish Madjid said separately the team had
\ndone its best to contribute to a peaceful, fair and free
\nelection.<\/p>\n
Requirements<\/p>\n
He said out of 141 political parties registered at the
\nMinistry of Justice, only 105 applied to the team for
\nverification. Of the latter group, only 60 met the administrative
\nrequirements.<\/p>\n
\"Out of 60 verified, only 48 parties, including PPP, PDI and
\nGolkar, passed selection,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Both Nurcholish and team member Eep Saefulloh Fatah, however,
\nalso expressed doubts that the elections could go ahead fairly
\nand freely and \"produce\" a stable government because of the
\ngreat number of contestants.<\/p>\n
\"Nevertheless, we hope the election will go on fairly and
\nwithout violence and produce a legitimate government in time,\"
\nNurcholish said.<\/p>\n
Mochtar Buchori, one of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle's (PDIP) deputy chairmen, agreed 48 was too many.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Syarwan refused to respond when asked about names
\nto be proposed to President B.J. Habibie as government
\nrepresentatives on the National Elections Committee.<\/p>\n
\"I have no comments to make on the issue. Government
\nrepresentatives on the committee are to be announced in due
\ncourse,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Of the utmost importance is that the government
\nrepresentatives must not come from the home affairs ministry.
\nThey should have credibility and integrity in order to develop
\nthe nation and its democracy,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He insisted \"I have proposed names of candidates and they are
\nnot from my ministry.\"<\/p>\n
Afan Gaffar of the Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University,
\nOka Mahendra, an expert staffer at the justice ministry, noted
\nlawyer Adnan Buyung Nasution, former justice Adi Andojo Sutjipto,
\nand Andi M. Mallarangeng have been tipped as people that the
\ngovernment would pick to represent it on the elections committee.<\/p>\n
Syarwan said Habibie was expected to name government
\nrepresentatives on March 8, while the committee was to start work
\non March 10.<\/p>\n
Buyung confirmed Syarwan has asked the five about their
\nreadiness to represent the government in the body. (rms\/amd)<\/p>",
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