Electoral plan draws mixed reactions<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Local and foreign experts have given mixed
\nreactions to the proposed electoral system -- a combination of
\nthe current proportional representation system and a district
\none.<\/p>\n
Dwight Y. King, associate professor of political science at
\nNorthern Illinois University in the United States, hailed the
\nproposed system as promising, saying: "It looks to me like the
\nbest world system and I'm very interested in thinking about its
\nimplications".<\/p>\n
"I mean there is no right way to run a fair general election
\nbecause it depends on the values we want to maximize. So, it's a
\nnice balance between representativeness and accountability," he
\nsaid on the first day of an international conference on
\nStructural Reforms for Democratization in Indonesia, here
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
Daniel S. Lev, a professor of political science at the
\nUniversity of Washington in Seattle, said that a fair general
\nelection depended not on what system was applied but how it was
\nrun.<\/p>\n
"My point is that the key problem isn't about the system but
\nthe national commitment to conduct a fair and democratic
\nelection," he said.<\/p>\n
Afan Gaffar of Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta and Ramlan
\nSurbakti of Airlangga University in Surabaya defended the mixed
\nelectoral system. They both said it was designed to establish a
\nmore representative legislature with a high degree of
\naccountability and a more stable government.<\/p>\n
Gaffar said the nation should learn from the past when the New
\nOrder regime manipulated the electoral laws and the proportional
\nrepresentation system "to oppress minority political parties" and
\nto create a ruling party which always gained an absolute
\nmajority.<\/p>\n
Ramlan said the mixed system was aimed at maximizing
\nadvantages in the district system by upholding democracy in
\nIndonesia and eliminate the disadvantages by combining it with
\nthe proportional system.<\/p>\n
Gaffar and Ramlan are members of the six-member team appointed
\nby the government to draft the new laws on political parties,
\ngeneral elections and the role of the People's Consultative
\nAssembly and House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
The three draft laws are currently at the State Secretariat en
\nroute to the House for deliberation.<\/p>\n
Andrew Reynolds, assistant professor of international studies
\nat Notre Dame University in the United States, disagreed with the
\napplication of the district system.<\/p>\n
He said that Indonesia was very large and a majority of its
\npopulation was concentrated in Java while regions outside Java
\nhad yet to posses quality human resources to implement this type
\nof system.<\/p>\n
"Besides, exclusive, sectarian groups based on ethnicity and
\nreligion could rise from the districts," he said.<\/p>\n
Miriam Budiardjo of the University of Indonesia concurred. She
\nsaid there would not be enough time to publicize the new system
\nand added the numerous political parties would not be ready to
\nimplement it.<\/p>\n
"In my opinion it would be wise not to introduce the proposed
\nsystem at this point in time. It will need time to publicize."<\/p>\n
Miriam said it would also be very difficult to divide the
\ncountry into districts fairly because they would most likely be
\ndetermined based on administrative second tier (regency)
\ngovernment lines, which do not always adequately reflect a
\ndivision of voters. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/electoral-plan-draws-mixed-reactions-1447893297",
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