Debate over KIPP rages on<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): While the government has come out firmly against
\nthe need for independent poll watchdogs, the debate over the
\nIndependent Election Monitoring Committee (KIPP) continues to
\nrage on, with academics yesterday arguing its pros and cons.<\/p>\n
The Secretary General of the Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals
\nAssociation (ICMI), Adi Sasono, said yesterday that there is no
\nreal reason to fear the poll watchdog.<\/p>\n
\"The government and security officials should not be wary of
\nKIPP's presence,\" he said, describing it as a natural byproduct
\nof the people's increased dynamism and political awareness.<\/p>\n
\"I know it's chairman, Goenawan Mohamad, very well. He is a
\nsincere person,\" Adi said, alluding to the former chief editor of
\nthe now-defunct Tempo magazine.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, he said that one should not be so naive as to
\nperceive the poll watchdog as being merely a moral movement. \"It
\nis also a political movement,\" he claimed.<\/p>\n
While not specifically referring to the Independent Election
\nMonitoring Committee, the government on Thursday said that
\nindependent poll watchdogs are not needed. Government officials
\nrefused to say whether this was meant as a call for such groups
\nto disband.<\/p>\n
Formed early last month, the committee is comprised of several
\nleading rights activists and government critics. Its
\nestablishment has spawned other independent watchdogs, a new
\nphenomenon in Indonesia's electoral history.<\/p>\n
Reacting to the government's statement, the committee's
\nsecretary general, Mulyana W. Kusumah, said that the formation of
\nthe poll watchdog should be perceived as a channel for political
\nopenness, which could accommodate the people's aspirations.<\/p>\n
In Semarang, Central Java, political scientist Kahar Badjuri
\nsaid there was really no reason for the government to be overly
\nconcerned about the committee.<\/p>\n
He contended that the presence of the poll watchdog could
\nactually help boost international confidence regarding the
\nvalidity and fairness of the general elections.<\/p>\n
The University of Diponegoro academic told The Jakarta Post
\nyesterday that there is no reason to harbor suspicions towards
\nany activity which boosts public participation in the coming
\nelections.<\/p>\n
\"Yes, there is already the Panwaslak, but anyone can falter in
\ntheir duty, so KIPP should just be allowed to continue. Besides,
\nthey aren't breaking any laws by their presence,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Panwaslak is the government-sanctioned Election Supervision
\nCommittee, which is made up of officials, legislators and other
\npublic representatives.<\/p>\n
In Yogyakarta, Afan Gafar, political observer of the Gadjah
\nMada state university, lauded the government's statement and
\nbrushed off the committee as being nothing more than a movement
\ncomprised of government agitators who have an axe to grind.<\/p>\n
\"Goenawan, Buyung and Mulyana are all people who have problems
\nwith the government. KIPP is nothing more than an opposition
\ngroup against the government,\" he said, referring to the poll
\nwatchdog's founders.<\/p>\n
Though less harsh, National Human Rights Commission member
\nMuladi supported Afan's statement that the existence of the poll
\nbody was probably not necessary.<\/p>\n
He told the Post that although the watchdog is not banned, the
\nlaw only recognizes the official poll committee, and thus the
\nmonitoring committee's activities fall outside the recognized
\nsystem of monitoring.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, in Ujung Pandang, South Sulawesi, Professor Sadly
\nfrom Hasanuddin University also held a similar view.<\/p>\n
Sadly said that, apart from the legal soundness of the
\nofficial supervision committee, the independent monitoring
\ncommittee would have difficulty in carrying out its activities
\ndue to a shortage of manpower.<\/p>\n
He further questioned whether the presence of the poll
\nwatchdog would automatically translate into an improvement in the
\ntransparency of the elections.<\/p>\n
He said groups like the monitoring committee were commonly
\nfound abroad. However, this did not necessarily mean that such a
\nmodel could be applied here. (imn\/har\/20\/mds)<\/p>",
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