Discord marks KPU's selection of interest group faction<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Discord intensified over the General Elections
\nCommission's (KPU) selection of groups to be represented in the
\ninterest group faction in the People's Consultative Assembly
\n(MPR).<\/p>\n
Suggestions that certain members of the KPU's Team of 15
\nmanipulated the selection process prompted strong protests.
\nPolitical observer Riswandha Imawan of Gadjah Mada University in
\nYogyakarta went as far as to call on President B.J. Habibie to
\ntake over the selection of the 65 interest group representatives,
\ndespite the lack of a legal basis.<\/p>\n
\"Despite having no legal basis, the President should take
\naction to avoid the alleged collusion and nepotism in the
\nselection ... because the elections commission has lost the
\npublic's confidence,\" Riswandha told The Jakarta Post on Friday.<\/p>\n
He said the elections commission was no longer seen as a
\nprodemocracy and proreform institution, \"since most of its
\nmembers were busy fighting for their own political interests\".<\/p>\n
\"In such a situation, it will be impossible for the KPU to
\nconduct the selection fairly and objectively,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Riswandha warned that further glitches ahead of the Assembly's
\nGeneral Session, scheduled to open on Oct. 1, would cause the
\npublic to lose their patience and create political uncertainty.<\/p>\n
\"The commission should be reminded that most people have begun
\nto lose their patience waiting for certain changes, a new era and
\nan end to the prolonged political and economic crises,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Habibie should circumvent the possible uncertainty by
\ncooperating with the major political parties to objectively and
\nfairly select the interest group representatives, he said.<\/p>\n
The interest group faction is predicted to play a decisive
\nrole when the 700-seat Assembly meets to elect the country's next
\npresident.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Buddhists Association is among those who have
\nprotested the elections commission's selection process for the
\ninterest group representatives, questioning the nomination of an
\nunaccredited Buddhist organization as a representative for the
\ncommunity. Minister of Agriculture Soleh Solahuddin and
\nIndonesian Farmers Association chairman Siswono Yudhohusodo also
\nblasted the KPU for failing to provide seats for representatives
\nof the farming community.<\/p>\n
Executives of the Indonesian Association of Small
\nEntrepreneurs and the Ansor Islamic youth organization
\ndemonstrated outside the KPU office on Friday to protest the
\nselection process.<\/p>\n
Although the results of the selection have not been officially
\nannounced, copies of the team's nominations have circulated among
\nthe public.<\/p>\n
Abolition<\/p>\n
Muchsan, a professor of constitutional law at Gadjah Mada
\nUniversity, called on the next Assembly to phase out the interest
\ngroup faction because multiparty general elections had made it
\nirrelevant.<\/p>\n
He said the next Assembly should make the abolition of the
\ninterest group faction its first order of business.<\/p>\n
\"The MPR can decide to annul the faction's voting rights in
\nthe General Session and presidential election,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Separately, Minister of Home Affairs Syarwan Hamid said he
\nsupported the idea of phasing out the interest group faction from
\nthe Assembly.<\/p>\n
However, he said, \"the faction could be phased out only if the
\n1945 Constitution was amended\". He was speaking during a meeting
\nwith traditional and religious leaders in Bandung, West Java, on
\nFriday.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation chairman Bambang Wijoyanto
\nsaid the interest group faction in the Assembly had become a
\nburden because of its controversial existence and members.<\/p>\n
\"The faction should be phased out from the highest legislative
\nbody because most groups in society participated in the recent
\nelections and their aspirations can be channeled through
\npolitical parties,\" he told the Post here on Friday.<\/p>\n
\"Many sides will question the KPU's credibility in (selecting)
\nrepresentatives of the interest groups, (because many of those
\nchosen) are affiliated with the ruling Golkar Party,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said the elections commission's reputation had been badly
\ntainted. \"The KPU no longer has the credibility to conduct the
\nselection since it has turned into a power struggle among minor
\nparties (represented in the commission).\"<\/p>\n
Bambang also questioned the alleged collusion in the
\nnomination of interest groups with links to certain political
\nparties.<\/p>\n
Many interest groups from small-scale companies, cooperatives
\nand mass organizations, such as the Indonesian Cooperatives
\nBoard, the Association of Young Indonesian Businessmen, the
\nFederation of All-Indonesian Workers Union and the Indonesian
\nYouth Committee, are linked to Golkar, he said.<\/p>\n
He alleged the presence of these organizations in the next
\nAssembly was aimed at ensuring President B.J. Habibie's victory
\nin the presidential election. (43\/44\/rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/discord-marks-kpus-selection-of-interest-group-faction-1447893297",
"image": ""
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