Lack of funds haunts Panwaslu<\/p>\n
A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Efforts to hold a fair and just election next year are
\nnegotiating a tough challenge due to financial shortages facing
\nthe Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu), an official said
\non Friday.<\/p>\n
Panwaslu deputy chairman Saut Hamonangan Sirait said the
\ngovernment had promised to allocate only Rp 200 billion at the
\nmost to finance the operation of the committee this year. The
\ncommitment was far below Panwaslu's budget proposal for the same
\nperiod, which amounts to Rp 1.1 trillion (US$134 million). For
\nnext year, it has proposed Rp 900 billion.<\/p>\n
\"The lack of funds may badly affect the committee's
\nperformance in the future,\" Saut told reporters after a joint
\nmeeting with the General Elections Commission (KPU) here.<\/p>\n
The meeting, which mainly discussed the budget for Panwaslu,
\nwas attended by representatives of the KPU, the Panwaslu and the
\nMinistry of Finance's Directorate General for Budget.<\/p>\n
Saut said the directorate general revealed during the meeting
\nthat the ministry could not provide extra funds.<\/p>\n
Of its budget this year, Panwaslu will spend Rp 35.462 billion
\non operational costs of the central Panwaslu, Rp 132.283 billion
\nfor provincial Panwaslu, Rp 413.336 billion for regental and
\nmunicipal Panwaslu, and the remaining Rp 513.68 billion to
\ndistrict Panwaslu.<\/p>\n
The central Panwaslu has nine members, while provincial and
\nregental Panwaslu have five members each.<\/p>\n
The budget for the Panwaslu is far above the expenses of the
\nsame institution during the 1999 election, which amounted to Rp
\n3.744 billion.<\/p>\n
Facing the limited funds for this year, Saut said that the
\nPanwaslu was ready to cut transportation and insurance fees for
\nits officials.<\/p>\n
He said the central and regional Panwaslu would turn to both
\ncentral and regional governments for more funds.<\/p>\n
Both central and provincial Panwaslu have been established
\nsince May, and now the provincial supervisory committee is
\nworking to set up committees at the lower administrative level.<\/p>\n
For the time being, in order to operate its daily activities,
\nboth central and provincial Panwaslu are using funds from the
\nKPU, because the government has yet to disburse its funds.<\/p>\n
The KPU has disbursed Rp 2 billion for the central Panwaslu,
\nand Rp 50 to 70 million for each provincial Panwaslu.<\/p>\n
During the meeting, the KPU, the Panwaslu and the Directorate
\nGeneral for Budget agreed to establish a joint committee, which
\nis expected to formulate ways to tackle the Panwaslu's shortage
\nof funds in the run-up to the 2004 election.<\/p>\n
The general election is scheduled to be conducted on April 5
\nnext year.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/lack-of-funds-haunts-panwaslu-1447893297",
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