Ex-New Order officials 'unfit' to run in legislative election<\/p>\n
Moch. N. Kurniawan and Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta\/Makassar<\/p>\n
The General Elections Commission (KPU) declared on Thursday three
\nformer state officials from the New Order unfit to contest the
\nRegional Representatives Council (DPD) election, representing
\nSouth Sulawesi.<\/p>\n
The disqualification of former head of the State Logistics
\nAgency (Bulog) Beddu Amang, former Supreme Advisory Council
\nchairman A.A. Baramuli and former State Minister for State
\nEnterprises Tanri Abeng followed a decision by South Sulawesi's
\nRegional Elections Commission (KPUD) overnight, which said the
\nthree had failed the factual screening on their residential
\nstatus.<\/p>\n
The South Sulawesi KPUD found that Beddu failed to meet the
\nrequirement of three consecutive years living in the province as
\nhis passports confirmed he had lived in two houses in South
\nKemang and Tebet, both in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Like Beddu, Baramuli also failed to prove that he had been
\nliving in South Sulawesi for the last three consecutive years, as
\nhis green, official and diplomatic passports, identity card and
\nyearly tax assessment document stipulate he lives in Jl. Imam
\nBonjol, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
As for Tanri, the KPUD said he could not prove he was living
\nin South Sulawesi for 10 years after the age of 17, between 1960
\nand 1970, as he once studied in the U.S. between 1968 and 1969.<\/p>\n
\"Based on the South Sulawesi final report, those people do not
\nqualify for next year's election,\" KPU member Mulyana W. Kusumah
\nsaid after a meeting with South Sulawesi KPUD member Mappinawang.<\/p>\n
Apart from the three former officials, the KPUD also
\ndisqualified Rivai Siata also on the basis of the residential
\nrequirement.<\/p>\n
The election law says DPD candidates must have lived in the
\nprovince they will represent for the last three consecutive
\nyears, or 10 years after the age of 17.<\/p>\n
Based on the Election Law, every province will be represented
\nby four DPD members. Along with the House of Representatives, the
\nDPD will form the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).<\/p>\n
This decision is a minor surprise as Ramlan said on Wednesday
\nthe recent findings from South Sulawesi KPUD would likely pass
\nthe three former state officials in the screening for DPD
\naspirants.<\/p>\n
KPU deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti said the South Sulawesi
\ncase would emulate the case of Ginandjar Kartasasmita, the
\npresent MPR deputy speaker, whom many believed lived in Jakarta,
\nbut he managed to pass the DPD candidate screening in Sumedang,
\nWest Java.<\/p>\n
Ramlan did not elaborate on the West Java KPUD argument that
\nendorsed Ginandjar's bid.<\/p>\n
At the moment, Ginandjar sits in the MPR representing West
\nJava.<\/p>\n
On the same day, Baramuli's lawyer Yusuf Gunco sent a letter
\nto the KPU, saying that his client should pass the screening as
\nin the case of Ginanjar in West Jawa, and Subiajakto Cakrawerdaja
\nin Central Java.<\/p>\n
KPU also announced on Thursday that Bambang Suroso, Ali
\nHanafiah and Asri Antoni had passed the Bengkulu KPUD screening
\nas DPD candidates.<\/p>\n
As of Thursday a total 923 DPD aspirants from 31 provinces
\nwere declared eligible to contest the 2004 elections.<\/p>\n
One newly established province, West Irian Jaya, has been
\ngiven an extension.<\/p>",
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