Habibie declares poll results valid<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie declared on Tuesday the
\nresults of the June 7 general election valid following the
\nGeneral Elections Commission's failure to endorse the poll
\nresults, saying a further delay would only disappoint the people.<\/p>\n
The President, as the party responsible for the general
\nelection, is expected to issue a presidential decree on Wednesday
\nformalizing his endorsement of the poll results, Minister of
\nInformation Lt. Gen. Muhammad Yunus said.<\/p>\n
\"With the decree the results of the elections then become
\nlegitimate,\" said Yunus after the President met with leaders of
\n21 political parties at Merdeka Palace.<\/p>\n
Habibie justified his endorsement of the polls by saying 95
\npercent of the voters cast their ballots for political parties
\nwhich had endorsed the elections results.<\/p>\n
\"Therefore, in line with the mandate of the Special Session of
\nthe People's Consultative Assembly in November, I declare that
\nthe poll results are valid,\" Habibie said. \"The next (electoral)
\nphases can now proceed as planned.\"<\/p>\n
The declaration ushered in a new phase of the long-drawn
\nelections process, which has often been marked by confusion and
\ntension.<\/p>\n
Habibie issued his declaration after the General Elections
\nCommission (KPU) failed to endorse the poll results after hours
\nof haggling. The heated KPU session also saw government
\nrepresentatives walking out in protest.<\/p>\n
Commission members debated on Tuesday evening whether to
\nendorse a draft decree proposed by representatives of minor
\npolitical parties in the morning session. The decree called for
\npoll results to be declared \"provisional\".<\/p>\n
The representatives of the minor parties cited various poll
\nviolations they believed were not properly investigated.<\/p>\n
\"(If the poll results were endorsed now), there'd be no
\npolitical certainty that the poll violations would be
\ninvestigated,\" one representative said.<\/p>\n
The Elections Supervisory Committee on Sunday overruled the
\nobjections the minor parties cited as their reasons for not
\nendorsing the poll results.<\/p>\n
Government representatives and representatives of major
\npolitical parties which won seats in the House of Representatives
\nopposed the decree, saying it would in effect annul the
\nelections.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)
\nrepresentative Jacob Tobing said the decree ran counter to the
\ncommon stance reached in a meeting of party representatives on
\nMonday and Tuesday at Hotel Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"At the meeting, we were of the opinion that we would endorse
\nthe elections results to help the nation emerge from its
\nprolonged political and economic crises. I'm very sorry to say
\nthat I disagree with the draft decree.<\/p>\n
\"If the draft was endorsed, it would imply that the next House
\nof Representatives and regency and provincial legislatures would
\nbe provisional in nature. Even the next government would be
\nprovisional,\" he said during the KPU session.<\/p>\n
The KPU representative of the United Development Party (PPP),
\nwhich garnered the third most votes in the general election,
\nDjuhad Mahja, also rejected the draft decree.<\/p>\n
Andi A. Mallarangeng and Afan Gaffar, two of the five
\ngovernment representatives on the elections commission, also
\nurged the decree be dropped and that the commission endorse the
\npoll results before the President stepped in.<\/p>\n
This led to heated arguments and the walkout of the government
\nrepresentatives.<\/p>\n
Indonesian People's Party (Pari) representative Agus Miftah
\nwas confident most minor parties would continue to refuse to
\nendorse the elections results.<\/p>\n
KPU chairman Rudini said despite conflicting views, all
\ncommission members accepted the results of the vote count and
\nwould proceed with its job of allocating seats in provincial
\nlegislative councils.<\/p>\n
Commission deputy chairman Adnan Buyung Nasution said there
\nwould be no more need of KPU plenary sessions now that the
\nPresident was scheduled to formally validate the poll results.<\/p>\n
Adnan also blasted Rudini, accusing him of failing to take a
\nfirm stance and lead the plenary sessions.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, National Elections Committee chairman Jacob Tobing
\nsaid the body would proceed with its task of allocating
\nlegislative seats.<\/p>\n
\"The induction of provincial legislators will begin tomorrow
\n(Wednesday) and the House and regency legislators will soon
\nfollow,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The KPU, meanwhile, must appoint 65 interest group
\nrepresentatives for the next People's Consultative Assembly.<\/p>\n
Separately, around 600 supporters of Indonesian Buddhist
\nCouncil chairwoman Sri Hartati Murdaya staged a protest in front
\nof the KPU building, demanding the KPU name Murdaya the
\nrepresentative of the Buddhist community in the Assembly.
\n(prb\/rms\/04)<\/p>",
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