Don't blame government for poor poll results: Yogie<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The General Elections Committee called on the
\nthree parties yesterday to gracefully accept the poll results and
\nrefrain from blaming the government for poor showings.<\/p>\n
"The Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) should not blame other
\npeople for its massive failure in the general election,"
\ncommittee chairman Moch. Yogie S.M. told reporters before a
\nmonthly cabinet meeting at the Bina Graha Presidential Office.<\/p>\n
"They failed because of their internal problems," he said,
\nreferring to the party's protracted leadership rift which has
\npolarized party faithful into supporting the government-backed
\nchairman Soerjadi or the ousted chief, Megawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
Yogie, also minister of home affairs, was commenting on the
\nPDI's allegations of vote-rigging in the May 29 general election.
\nPoor results may force the PDI to relinquish the 10 House of
\nRepresentatives seats that it won on May 29.<\/p>\n
The Election Supervision Committee's chairman, Singgih, urged
\nthe United Development Party (PPP) yesterday not to blame the
\ngovernment for the problems it encountered during campaigning and
\nthe election.<\/p>\n
"Don't just accuse the government for the electoral
\nviolations. In South Sulawesi, we are still investigating
\nelection fraud by PPP officials," Singgih said.<\/p>\n
Similar sentiment was also expressed by the General Elections
\nCommittee's deputy secretary-general, Sutoyo N.K. He said the
\ngovernment could not be held accountable for the PDI's poor
\nshowing.<\/p>\n
"People are now more aware of, and more intelligent in
\nexercising, their political rights," he said.<\/p>\n
The Institute for Strategic Studies of Indonesia's chairman,
\nRudini, called on the PDI to endorse the poll results and follow
\nthe remaining stages of the general election because refusal to
\ndo so would tarnish Indonesia's image.<\/p>\n
Rudini, a former minister of home affairs, said the PDI was
\nfree to protest alleged vote-rigging, but should put national
\nunity and interests first.<\/p>\n
"They can sue the government over vote-rigging allegations
\nwith evidence," he said.<\/p>\n
He played down PDI's threat to relinquish its House seats,
\nsaying that this would not influence the House's decision making
\nprocess. He said the PDI would only be sowing seeds of future
\ntrouble if it pulled out of the House.<\/p>\n
Yogie reminded the PPP, Golkar and PDI that they had pledged
\nto make the election a success.<\/p>\n
Suryatna Subrata, the elections committee's secretary-general,
\nalso called on the PDI to continue to participate in the
\nremaining stages of the general election -- namely the
\nannouncement of final poll results, and the installment of
\nlegislators in the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
"The election is not over on voting day. It continues until
\nthe general meeting of the People's Consultative Assembly," he
\nsaid yesterday.<\/p>\n
Sutoyo said the PDI could solve its problem of representation
\non the House's 11 commissions by having a legislator sit on more
\nthan one commission.<\/p>\n
Yogie said the PDI's 10 House seats would not pose legal
\nproblems for the House.<\/p>\n
"Personally I believe there is no problem with it, because
\nthere is a plenary session, and all decisions are based on
\nunanimity through deliberation," Yogie said.<\/p>\n
House rules, adopted in 1983, say that each of its 11
\ncommissions must have representatives of three parties and the
\nArmed Forces. The rules say that decision making requires
\nsignatures from at least two-thirds of House members.<\/p>\n
When asked about the PDI's request for an election rerun,
\nSuryatna said the elections committee would acquiesce if alleged
\nvote-rigging proved to be true.<\/p>\n
Sutoyo said a decision to rerun the general election should
\ncome from polling station coordinators.<\/p>\n
But Yogie ruled out the possibility of an election rerun
\nbecause there was "no strong reason" for it.<\/p>\n
He said revoting was only warranted in 86 polling stations in
\nSampang regency because the ballot boxes had been burned during
\nthree days of unrest on Madura island.<\/p>\n
"There will be no more poll repeating as there is no strong
\nreason for it. It is just a waste of time," Yogie said.<\/p>\n
Singgih reiterated the government's stance that revoting in
\nSampang was valid although the PPP did not provide any
\nscrutineers. (06\/imn\/amd)<\/p>",
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