Habibie issues poll decree, KPU flayed<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie garnered praise on
\nWednesday for issuing a decree validating the June 7 poll
\nresults, but the General Elections Commission (KPU) suffered a
\npublic roasting over the constant bickering among its members and
\nthe failure to make the endorsement on schedule.<\/p>\n
The commission took the criticism in stride, with chairman
\nRudini immediately promising to proceed with preparations for its
\nnext task of the installment of members of the House of
\nRepresentatives and the provincial and regency legislatures.<\/p>\n
Taking over the authority from the KPU, Habibie issued a
\npresidential decree stipulating the poll results were final and
\nvalid. The decree also requests that the election commission
\nproceed with its remaining duties as scheduled.<\/p>\n
State Secretary\/Minister of Justice Muladi described the 10
\ndays that followed the 53-strong commission's failure to endorse
\nthe poll results on July 23 as a state of emergency which merited
\nthe President's action.<\/p>\n
\"If the President as the party responsible for the elections
\ndid not take action to validate the poll results, the national
\nreform agenda would be jeopardized and people would resort to
\nunrest,\" Muladi said after announcing the decree.<\/p>\n
The five government representatives in the commission,
\nsupported by major parties, have been embroiled in rows with
\nminor parties since July 23.<\/p>\n
A majority of the 48 political parties represented in the
\ncommission declined to sign the national tally report because
\nthey believed the elections were flawed. They demanded the
\ngovernment first investigate all poll violations and
\nirregularities.<\/p>\n
Daily plenary sessions were marked by commission members
\ntrading barbs and accusations. The smaller parties -- which
\ninsisted the poll results should be declared \"provisional\" in
\nnature -- were accused of plotting to sow political chaos.<\/p>\n
In turn, the small parties demanded the government expel its
\nfive representatives from the commission. Walkouts and arguments
\nbecame the order of the daily sessions.<\/p>\n
Six of the 27 recalcitrant parties subsequently relented and
\nendorsed the vote count. They were the New Indonesia Party (PIB),
\nMKGR Party, Indonesian National Party led by Supeni (PNI Supeni),
\nPeace Loving Party (PCD), Justice Party (PK) and Indonesian
\nNation's National Party (PNBI).<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, political experts and poll watchdogs made clear
\ntheir disdain for the KPU.<\/p>\n
Hailing Habibie for the decree, the Independent Election
\nMonitoring Committee scolded the commission for its failure.<\/p>\n
In a statement released on Wednesday, the organization said
\nthe election commission should return its mandate to the
\nPresident.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the National Mandate Party Amien Rais also
\nsupported Habibie's decision.<\/p>\n
\"Up to now, the KPU's performance is very disappointing,\" he
\nsaid in Surakarta, Central Java.<\/p>\n
Riswandha Imawan, a political expert from Gadjah Mada
\nUniversity in Yogyakarta, also expressed deep concern over the
\ncommission's poor performance, saying it descended into an arena
\nof power struggles.<\/p>\n
\"The election commission's bad performance also reflects the
\npolitical elite's immaturity (as shown by) the minority parties'
\nrejection of their defeat,\" he said in Surakarta.<\/p>\n
Secrecy<\/p>\n
It was revealed on Wednesday that the election commission
\nendorsed the poll results on Tuesday night after earlier sessions
\nended deadlocked. Rudini said the endorsement occurred because
\n\"we had to make a decision after we heard the President was about
\nto sign the decree\".<\/p>\n
Rudini reportedly signed the poll results in secret and in the
\nabsence of the media. The action contradicted his earlier pledge
\nto continue the sessions on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The commission then proceeded to ask the National Elections
\nCommittee (PPI), the provincial election committees and regency
\ncommittees to follow up the poll results.<\/p>\n
Rudini, who represented the MKGR Party, dismissed criticism
\nleveled at the commission. He declined to discuss other motives
\nbehind the minority parties's refusal to endorse the poll
\nresults.<\/p>\n
Rudini, a former home affairs minister and Army chief, pledged
\nto push the commission to complete its work agenda on time.<\/p>\n
PPI chairman Jacob Tobing said many PPI members were now in
\nthe provinces to help in the allocation of legislative seats for
\nthe next House, provincial and regency legislative councils.<\/p>\n
\"Legislators for regency legislatures will be sworn in between
\nAugust 3 and August 5, those for provincial legislatures will be
\ninstalled between August 19 and August 28 while new House and
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly (MPR) members will be sworn in
\nbetween October 1 and October 3,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"The MPR General Session will go ahead in accordance with the
\nset schedule.\" (har\/prb\/rms)<\/p>",
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