Government says E. Java electoral committee valid<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government confirmed the validity of the
\nnewly-established electoral committee in East Java, which leaves
\nthe Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) unrepresented, but gave the
\nparty until May to resolve its bickering.<\/p>\n
\"Oh, it's valid, it's valid. Who says it isn't ?\" said
\nMinister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. after opening a meeting
\nof officials of the 27 regional electoral committee here
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
He was commenting on the statement of the PDI central
\nexecutive board that the East Java electoral committee, which
\nGovernor Basofi Soedirman inaugurated on Monday, was not valid
\nbecause it excluded the PDI.<\/p>\n
Yogie pointed to a ministerial decree which gives leaders of
\nlocal party chapters, in this case the East Java chapter of PDI,
\nthe authority to propose names to sit at the regional electoral
\ncommittee.<\/p>\n
\"There no such thing as the East Java PDI leadership at the
\nmoment,\" Yogie was quoted by the Antara news agency as saying.<\/p>\n
Yogie was referring to the protracted leadership conflict
\nwithin the PDI chapter. Latief Pudjosakti and Sutjipto both
\nclaimed to be the rightful chapter chairman.<\/p>\n
\"Please solve the squabbling by May,\" Yogie said.<\/p>\n
The minister also said that Basofi is currently trying to
\nbring the two camps together. \"Only then can the PDI be accepted
\nin the regional committee,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Assembly<\/p>\n
PDI reportedly plans, if it remains unrepresented until the
\ngeneral elections next year, to take the matter to the People's
\nConsultative Assembly in 1998, just before President Soeharto
\ngives his account of duty.<\/p>\n
\"Go ahead, if there are laws that regulate such a notion,\"
\nYogie said.<\/p>\n
He remained optimistic, however, that the PDI seats at the
\nregional committee would be vacant only temporarily and that all
\npolitical contestants -- PDI, Golkar and the United Development
\nParty (PPP) -- would participate in the elections.<\/p>\n
\"I hope that everything will be resolved by May, as Soeryadi
\nSetiawan (the head of the East Java office of social and
\npolitical affairs) has suggested,\" Yogie said. \"Let's wait and
\nsee. What's important is that the two men sit down and talk.\"<\/p>\n
The rift within East Java PDI has been dragging on for months,
\nwith no signs of any compromise. The East Java administration,
\nwhich apparently backs Latief, refuses to recognize either and
\ninsists on a fresh election.<\/p>\n
Chief of the PDI central executive board Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri considers Sutjipto the legitimate leader and
\ncharged Basofi with meddling in the party's internal affairs.<\/p>\n
Basofi's decision to leave the PDI seats in the electoral
\ncommittee vacant was met with criticism from a number of
\npoliticians and observers. Even the spokesman of the Ministry of
\nHome Affairs H.S.A. Jussac said the move is making the government
\ncome across as \"defective\".<\/p>\n
Jussac also said that the solution now is for Megawati to hold
\na meeting with all of the party's leaders in East Java and
\nresolve the conflict once and for all.<\/p>\n
Also yesterday, Yogie, in his capacity as the chairman of the
\nnational electoral committee, said that the 1997 general
\nelections will see a number of changes, made in order to improve
\nits quality.<\/p>\n
Among the changes he mentioned was the increase in the number
\nof contested seats at the House of Representatives (DPR), from
\n400 to 425. The remaining 75 seats are allotted for
\nrepresentatives of the Armed Forces who do not compete in the
\ngeneral elections.<\/p>\n
In addition, the national electoral committee has also decided
\nto extend the opportunity for representatives of the competing
\npolitical grouping to witness the balloting process. The
\nannouncement of registered voters will also be conducted in such
\na way as to ensure that voters will know for sure whether they
\nhave been registered.<\/p>\n
\"With those changes, hopefully the 1997 elections will pass
\noff better,\" he said. (swe)<\/p>\n
Nomination -- Page 2<\/p>\n
Editorial -- Page 4<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/government-says-e-java-electoral-committee-valid-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }