KPU hindered by absence of population data<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Latest data on the country's population was
\nstill unavailable to the General Elections Commission (KPU) as of
\nTuesday, causing a further delay in the allotment of legislative
\nseats.<\/p>\n
Commission members acknowledged they failed to file their
\nrequest for the information with the Ministry of Home Affairs
\nearly enough to give the ministry time to gather the data. The
\nministry had promised to deliver the data on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The allocation of the seats is at a stalemate, Adnan Buyung
\nNasution, KPU chairman of subcommission B for organization and
\nlaws, said. \"We're trying to push the Ministry of Home Affairs to
\ngive us the data. The deadline is Wednesday.\"<\/p>\n
The law on elections stipulates that the KPU is responsible
\nfor determining the number of seats in the legislature, both at
\nthe national and regency levels.<\/p>\n
However, data on district populations, considered the most
\naccurate information to calculate regency populations because of
\nthe fast expansion of districts, was not yet available.<\/p>\n
Commission members earlier had used data from the 1997
\nelection which was based on 1995 statistics. However, the home
\naffairs ministry said 11 newly established regencies must be
\nincluded with the existing 316 regencies. The commission, forced
\nto redetermine the allotment of legislative seats, decided to
\nbase its calculations on the latest population figures.<\/p>\n
\"KPU won't take the chance of being blamed if there is a
\nmiscalculation,\" Sjafuddinsyah of the Love Peace Party (Partai
\nCinta Damai) said.<\/p>\n
The allotment of legislative seats for East Timor will be
\ndiscussed separately. In the past, the province only was allotted
\nfour seats given its small size and population.<\/p>\n
On Monday, Director General for General Administration and
\nRegional Autonomy Ryaas Rasyid said it was up to the commission
\nto decide whether the province of 800,000 people would be
\nallotted 13 seats, or one seat for each of its regencies.<\/p>\n
Sjafuddinsyah said some KPU members felt allotting 13 seats to
\nEast Timor would be unfair, compared to Irian Jaya, for example,
\nwhich has 2.5 million residents but only will receive 12
\nlegislative seats.<\/p>\n
\"If the government does not give us further instructions, we
\nwill have to give East Timor 13 seats according to the law on
\nelections,\" Sjafuddinsyah said.<\/p>\n
The commission also ruled that political parties should name
\nother parties which with they would share undivided number of
\nseats before election day on June 7.<\/p>\n
The commission also ruled on the use of wooden ballot boxes
\ninstead of transparent boxes. \"Constructing wooden ballot boxes
\nwill add to people's income,\" KPU chairman Rudini said.<\/p>\n
While the controversial proposal of providing each of the 48
\npolitical parties contesting the general election Rp 1 billion
\nhas not been settled, Rudini said each party would receive Rp 150
\nmillion this week, the same amount of funding the government gave
\nparties contesting past elections. (edt)<\/p>",
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