Electoral system needs major overhaul<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
It is feared that preparations for the 2004 general election
\nmay be disrupted if lawmakers fail to reach a consensus on the
\npresidential election system during the upcoming Annual Session
\nof the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).<\/p>\n
A member of the General Election Commission (KPU), Mulyana W.
\nKusumah, hoped the 10-day MPR session, scheduled to start on
\nThursday, would amend Article 6 of the 1945 Constitution on the
\npresidential election so that the next president would be elected
\nin a direct election system.<\/p>\n
\"If the Assembly fails to reach a consensus, the revision of
\npolitical laws will be delayed, thereby affecting the
\npreparations for the general election,\" Mulyana said, at a
\ndiscussion here on Monday.<\/p>\n
Mulyana said the amendment expected from the next session, the
\nthird ever made to the Constitution, should include an amendment
\nto the system of representation and the presidential election.<\/p>\n
He warned that the enthusiasm for a direct presidential
\nelection would be hampered if the MPR was unable to complete the
\namendment.<\/p>\n
Jimly Ashidiqie of the Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals
\nAssociation (ICMI) admitted that the demand for a direct
\npresidential election had been gaining strength and was
\nunavoidable.<\/p>\n
Jimly, however, said the change of a presidential election
\nsystem should not only be for the sake of modification. \"It needs
\nsystematic preparation,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He reiterated that any amendment of the Constitution should be
\naimed at creating a better presidential system for the country.<\/p>\n
According to Jimly, Indonesia had yet to apply a genuinely
\npresidential system. \"In the Sukarno era, we adopted a
\nparliamentarian system. Since then, it has been a quasi-
\npresidential system,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Founder of the Center for Electoral Reform (Cetro) Todung
\nMulya Lubis, said lawmakers should not only focus on the direct
\npresidential election, but also on the restructuring of the
\nentire political system.<\/p>\n
He said a direct presidential election was specifically
\ndesigned to curb the practice of money politics. \"This does not
\nmean that money politics would disappear, but it would be
\nreduced,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Todung said more assessment was required before the nation
\ncould decide whether to choose a direct presidential election
\nbecause there were a variety of different types of elections.<\/p>\n
\"If such an amendment could be made this year, revision to the
\npolitical laws would follow next year. That would leave us with
\nenough time before the 2004 general election,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Todung emphasized that it should be the nation that determines
\nwhich presidential election system would be adopted.<\/p>",
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