Kurniawan Hari
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
The deliberation of the long-awaited review drafts of political
\nlaws requiring stricter conditions to contending the 2004 general
\nelection, will likely raise heating debates between the House of
\nRepresentatives and the government and, even protests, especially
\nfrom minority political parties since only a few parties have met
\nthe electoral threshold.<\/p>\n
The draft law on general election requires minority parties to
\nhave at least two percent of 500 seats at the House, or to make
\nalliance "to have passport" to contend the next elections.<\/p>\n
Should the electoral threshold is endorsed, only six of 48
\nparties that contended the 1999 general election will be allowed
\nto join in the next elections. The six are the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan), Golkar, the United
\nDevelopment Party (PPP), the National Awakening Party (PKB), the
\nNational Mandate Party (PAN) and the Crescent Star Party (PBB).<\/p>\n
"The legal requirements is unfair and undemocratic. We will
\nstrive to seek better clause during the deliberation," said
\nGregorius Seto Haryanto, secretary-general of the Love the Nation
\nDemocratic Party (PDKB), told The Jakarta Post here on Sunday.<\/p>\n
He said his party whose faction has merged with the National
\nAwakening Party (PKB) faction at the House would lobby other
\nminority parties to prevent the legislative body from endorsing
\nit because the nation was in a transition to the democracy.<\/p>\n
"We do not object to the stricter requirements after all
\npolitical parties have settled. We are learning the democracy,"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
PDKB is one of 26 minority parties forming minority factions
\nin the legislative body.<\/p>\n
Sutradara Gintings of the Justice Unity Party (PKP) which only
\nsecured only four seats at the House gave cooler response, saying
\nthat all political parties should understand the consequence of
\nthe requirements.<\/p>\n
"Political parties that do not meet the requirements have to
\nunderstand the consequence. They could either make a coalition or
\nset up a new political party with its all consequences," Gintings
\ntold The Jakarta Post here.<\/p>\n
Gintings, however, refused to reveal which action his party
\nwould take to cope with the condition.<\/p>\n
Hidayat Nurwahid, chairman of the Justice Party (PK) which
\nformed the reform faction with the National Mandate Party (PAN)
\nconfirmed that Islamic minority parties would likely make
\nalliance to gain more seats in the next elections.<\/p>\n
Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno called on minority
\nparties to make alliance should they did not meet the electoral
\nthreshold to contend the next elections.<\/p>\n
He said that ideally, the nation should impose a three percent
\nof threshold to have lesser parties contending the elections.<\/p>\n
The draft laws also impose stricter legal and administrative
\nrequirements for new parties to be eligible for the elections.<\/p>\n
According to the draft law, new political parties are required
\nto have branches in two-thirds, or 20, of 30 provinces and a
\ncertain number in that provinces' regencies. Each chapter is
\nrequired to have at least 1,000 members proven with their own
\nmembership cards and the new parties are obliged to have their
\nown permanent offices.<\/p>\n
Andi A. Mallarangeng, a political observer, said he was of the
\nopinion that the number of political parties contending the next
\nelections should be limited under twenty by imposing stricter
\nrequirements.<\/p>\n
"The electoral threshold of two percent is too soft. The
\nquality of democracy is not based on the numerous number of
\nparties contending elections," he said, citing Germany imposed
\nfive percent for parties to contend the elections.<\/p>\n
The imposition of stricter requirements for establishment of
\nnew parties was needed to make them more independent, both
\nfinancially and administratively, he said.<\/p>\n
He added that the government should not provide financial aids
\nfor parties to force them to build a good communications with
\ntheir supporters.<\/p>\n
Arbi Sanit, a political expert of the University of Indonesia,
\nconcurred and said that the house and the government should be
\nstricter to help educate both parties and the people on the
\ndemocracy.<\/p>\n
"If any political parties reject the requirements, they should
\nadopt the district electoral system," he told the Post.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/kurniawan-hari-1447899208",
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