KPU allocates most interest group seats<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The General Elections Commission (KPU) completed
\non Thursday its task of appointing representatives of various
\ngroups in society to the 65-seat Interest Group faction at the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly (MPR).<\/p>\n
The interest group faction will later play an important role
\nin the upcoming presidential election.<\/p>\n
The commission selected 16 organizations on Thursday to
\nrepresent economic interest groups in the Assembly, adding to the
\n49 already picked during earlier sessions.<\/p>\n
Among those selected on Thursday included the Indonesian
\nCooperatives Council (Dekopin), Indonesian Chamber of Commerce
\nand Industry (Kadin), Indonesian Youth Cooperative (Koppindo),
\nVillage Cooperatives Association (Inkud), Indonesian Farmers
\nAssociation (HKTI), Indonesian Fishermen Association (HNSI),
\nAssociation of Notaries Authorized to issue Land Titles (IPPAT),
\nAssociation of Young Indonesian Businessmen (Hipmi) and
\nIndonesian Prosperous Labor Union (SBSI).<\/p>\n
The commission also allocated on Thursday five seats for
\nrepresentatives of students, youths and nongovernmental
\norganizations (NGOs). Two organizations were named: the
\nIndonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) and the Indonesian Planned
\nParenthood Association (PKBI).<\/p>\n
Organizations selected on Wednesday Aug. 18 included the
\nNational Council of Indonesian Association of the Handicapped
\n(DNPCI), Sports Promotion Board for the Handicapped (BPOC),
\nIndonesian Veterans Legion (LVRI) and Indonesian Independence
\nPioneers.<\/p>\n
Another five seats which were allotted on Wednesday went to
\nthe Indonesian Civil Servants Corp (Korpri), including the
\nPensioners Association (PWRI), Federation of State Enterprise
\nWorkers Association and Korpri of the ministries of Home Affairs
\nand Education and Culture.<\/p>\n
Another three seats went to women organizations: Indonesian
\nWomen's Congress (Kowani), Indonesian Women's Association
\n(Perwari) and Indonesian Consultative Council for Muslim Women
\nOrganizations (BMOIWI). On Thursday, however, two more seats were
\nallocated for religious' women groups, namely the Protestant
\nWomen and the Indonesian Muslim Women groups.<\/p>\n
The KPU voted on Wednesday for a representative for Buddhism,
\nCouncil of Buddhist Communities (Walubi) and Protestantism, the
\nPentecostal Churches Association (PGPI).<\/p>\n
The commission appointed on Thursday five seats to represent
\nIndonesia's minority ethnics, namely the indigenous people of the
\nBaduy in West Java, Dayak in Kalimantan, Sangir Talaud in
\nSulawesi, Kubu in Jambi and an ethnic tribe in Irian Jaya whose
\nrepresentative was not yet determined.<\/p>\n
According to Antara, the last nine seats allocated during the
\nplenary session of the commission on Thursday were for cultural
\nworkers, scientists and scholars. Candidates to represent this
\ngroup included those from the Institute of Indonesian Engineers
\n(PII), Indonesian Economists Association (ISEI) and Indonesian
\nJournalists Association (PWI).<\/p>\n
Rally<\/p>\n
Activists of the Committee of Friendship for Confucian
\nReligion (Kompak) staged another rally outside the KPU office
\nalso on Thursday. Their first protest took place on Aug. 10 when
\nthey demanded recognition of their faith as an official religion
\nand protested the absence of a legislative seat to represent
\ntheir community.<\/p>\n
Kompak's leader, Uung Sendana, called for an end to religious
\ndiscrimination facing Confucianism followers. "The republic's
\nConstitution unquestionably guarantees religious freedom," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Kompak then joined a media conference held by the Indonesian
\nHigh Council of Confucianism (Matakin) at the headquarters of
\nNahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia's largest Muslim organization.<\/p>\n
NU chairman Abdurrahman Wahid supported the protest, saying
\nIndonesia was not a religious state. "Indonesia is a state of
\nlaw, we are all subject to law sovereignty, not institutions," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman said it was the State Intelligence Coordinating
\nBoard (Bakin) that banned Confucian teachings. "The only way to
\nrespond is to have Bakin dissolved," he said.<\/p>\n
"Religious freedom is a very fundamental matter," Abdurrahman
\nsaid. (05\/10)<\/p>",
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