Big names qualify as DPD candidates<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
The Jakarta General Elections Commission (KPUD) announced some
\nbig names among the 36 candidates that qualified for the Regional
\nRepresentatives Council (DPD) for next year's general election.<\/p>\n
These included businessman Pontjo Sutowo, former state
\nminister of the environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, businesswomen
\nMooryati Soedibjo and Kemala Motik, politicians Aberson Marle
\nSihaloho and Bambang Warih Koesoemo, former ambassador to
\nSingapore H.B.L. Mantiri and Betawi (native Jakartan) figures
\nBiem T. Benyamin, son of the late actor Benyamin Sueb, and
\nchairman of the Betawi Brotherhood Forum (FBR) Fadloli El Muhir.<\/p>\n
KPUD chairman M. Taufik told a media conference on Thursday
\nthat some of the big names, including Pontjo and Aberson, had
\nqualified conditionally.<\/p>\n
According to Taufik, some people from the Thousand Islands
\nregency claimed that Pontjo's men had promised to give them rice
\nand money if they supported the businessman.<\/p>\n
As for Aberson, he was unable to show his high school diploma
\nto KPUD officials during the verification process; however, he
\ndid produce a document saying that he was once registered as a
\nstudent at the University of Indonesia (UI).<\/p>\n
The information on both candidates was revealed earlier by
\nTaufik late last month.<\/p>\n
Another member of the KPUD, Riza Patria, said that the two
\ncandidates could be scrapped from the list should they be
\nimplicated in \"money politics,\" although they had been declared
\nas qualified by the General Elections Commission (KPU).<\/p>\n
KPUD will report its results on the final verification process
\nto the KPU later on Thursday for further checking before the
\ncandidates are announced publicly on Dec. 9.<\/p>\n
The 36 names on the KPUD list would not automatically be
\nentered for the general election on April 5, 2004, as the KPU
\nwould make its decision based on a recommendation from the KPUD,
\nitself determined by significant findings on the candidates.<\/p>\n
The 36 candidates have passed the final verification from an
\ninitial 74. The remainder comprise 36 who failed in the earlier
\nstage of verification while two others withdrew from the race.<\/p>\n
The announcement of the candidates had been originally
\nscheduled for Tuesday but was delayed twice.<\/p>\n
Taufik said that most candidates had failed in the factual
\nverification as people, claimed to be their supporters, denied
\ntheir support when asked by KPUD verification team members.<\/p>\n
Only four winning candidates from each province will represent
\n32 provinces in the DPD. They will team up with 550 members of
\nthe House of Representatives to form the People's Consultative
\nAssembly.<\/p>\n
A total 575 people took registration forms from the KPUD but
\nonly 104 returned them.<\/p>\n
For the first time in history, citizens from all over the
\ncountry will directly elect their DPD candidates in a general
\nelection.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/big-names-qualify-as-dpd-candidates-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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