Government's plan to dissolve KPU groundless: Rudini<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): General Election Commission (KPU) Chairman
\nRudini accused the government and the House of Representatives of
\npurposely sabotaging efforts to investigate electoral violations
\nin last year's poll by dissolving the commission.<\/p>\n
\"KPU is preparing a special report on the violations committed
\nby certain political parties in the election which will later be
\nfollowed up by the Supreme Court,\" Rudini said here on Thursday.<\/p>\n
He said such an effort was necessary to show that the June 7
\ngeneral election was different from previous elections during the
\nNew Order era.<\/p>\n
House Speaker Akbar Tandjung said earlier this week that the
\nHouse and the government had agreed to dissolve the election
\ncommission and replace it with a new one whose members will be
\n\"independent and professional.\"<\/p>\n
He said the law on general elections would be revised and the
\nnew commission will take over the task of holding local elections
\nin newly established provinces.<\/p>\n
Rudini maintained that the current election commission should
\nbe valid until 2003 in accordance with the general election law.<\/p>\n
\"So the government's plan to dissolve KPU as it was reported
\nrecently was really due to pressure by certain groups for certain
\npurposes because it is not based on the existing law,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He underlined that the success of October's General Session of
\nthe People's Consultative Assembly and the election of a
\nlegitimate government was in large part due to the work of the
\ncommission.<\/p>\n
Rudini, who is a former Army chief, said the dissolution of
\nthe commission could jeopardize planned local elections which
\nwould in turn stir conflict in newly established provinces.<\/p>\n
\"The establishment of a new election commission is an unwise
\npolicy vested with political interests,\" he claimed.<\/p>\n
He added that despite the plan, KPU will go ahead with its
\npresent agenda to schedule local elections for June 10.<\/p>\n
Separately House Speaker Akbar Tandjung denied on Thursday any
\nsuggestions of a political conspiracy.<\/p>\n
\"There is no such conspiracy among big parties to dissolve
\nKPU,\" Akbar said.<\/p>\n
He said the idea of dissolving KPU came from the government
\nwhen Minister of Home Affairs Surjadi Soedirdja and state
\nMinister of Regional Autonomy Ryaas Rasyid were discussing the
\nState Guidelines.<\/p>\n
He said the government agreed upon the need to set up a new
\ncommission which was more professional and independent as stated
\nby guidelines.<\/p>\n
\"We agreed with the government's statement. And we explained
\nit to party faction leaders in the House,\" said Akbar who is
\nchairman of the Golkar Party which received the second highest
\nnumber of votes in last year's election.<\/p>\n
He said the dissolution of the commission received little
\nopposition in the House as all faction leaders seemed to endorse
\nthe matter. (jun\/rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/governments-plan-to-dissolve-kpu-groundless-rudini-1447893297",
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