Disqualification of cheating aspirants sought<\/p>\n
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Prodemocracy activists are calling for disqualification of
\nRegional Representatives Council (DPD) aspirants who submitted
\nfake documents of support to the General Elections Commission
\n(KPU), saying they had lost the moral right to sit in the House
\nof Representatives (DPR).<\/p>\n
They also urged the KPU to announce the names of DPD
\ncandidates who had tried to pass the DPD screening by submitting
\nfalse identity (ID) cards or copies of ID cards without the
\nconsent of their owners.<\/p>\n
"We must set a high standard of morality for our leaders,
\notherwise we should not choose them," Teten Masduki of the
\nIndonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
"The candidates must be publicly announced in the mass media
\nso that the public will take note that they are not worthy of
\nelection," said Smita Notosusanto, executive director of the
\nCenter for Electoral Reform (Cetro).<\/p>\n
Teten and Smita were commenting on the KPU's announcement last
\nweek that many DPD candidates across the country had submitted
\nfake ID cards.<\/p>\n
"Many of those candidates have fictitious documents or copies
\nof ID cards without the consent of their owners," KPU member
\nMulyana W. Kusumah said last Friday.<\/p>\n
According to KPU data released on Friday, all 73 DPD
\ncandidates registered in Jakarta had to rectify their documents,
\nas well as 59 candidates in West Java, 61 in Banten, 41 in West
\nJava, 27 in Central Sulawesi and 15 in Papua.<\/p>\n
In the troubled province of Aceh, 11 of 27 DPD candidates must
\nalso rectify and resubmit their documents, as well as 35 of 69
\ncandidates in Central Java and 27 of 34 in East Java.<\/p>\n
Under the newly amended Constitution, the People's
\nConsultative Assembly (MPR), the highest legislative body,
\ncomprises the DPD and the House of Representatives (DPR). At
\nleast four DPD members will be elected from each of the country's
\n30 provinces.<\/p>\n
In order to run in the election, an aspirant has to submit
\ndocuments of support from local people, including thousands of
\ncopied ID cards, depending on the number of people the candidate
\nwishes to represent.<\/p>\n
According to Smita, announcing the names of those cheating
\naspirants was part of voter education, signaling that people
\nshould be very careful in choosing their representatives.<\/p>\n
Under existing legislation those found to have submitted fake
\ndocuments are still given a chance to improve and complete the
\nnecessary documents.<\/p>\n
However, according to Teten, deceitful aspirants ought to be
\ndisqualified immediately from the DPD election before they became
\nleaders of the country.<\/p>\n
He said the aspirants' misconduct would become a bad precedent
\nfor their future leadership, as they might cheat the public at
\nany time.<\/p>\n
Mulyana said on Friday that although the candidates were
\nallowed by the KPU to resubmit their documents, the Elections
\nSupervisory Committee (Panwaslu) could investigate the
\ncandidates' action to determine whether or not they had committed
\ncrimes.<\/p>\n
Panwaslu filed earlier at least eight police reports in
\nseveral provinces over violations involving DPD candidates, who
\nhad allegedly committed wrongdoing in their efforts to woo
\npopular support.<\/p>\n
Panwaslu member Didi Supriyanto alleged late in October that
\nsome DPD candidates in Central Sulawesi and North Sulawesi had
\ncopied people's ID cards without their knowledge, in order to
\nqualify for the legislative election.<\/p>\n
The selection of aspirant regional representatives should be
\ncompleted by the end of this month.<\/p>\n
On Dec. 9, KPU will announce which aspirants are eligible to
\ncontest next year's election.<\/p>\n
Indonesia will hold a legislative election on April 5 and two-
\nstage presidential elections on July 5 and Sept. 20 respectively.<\/p>",
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