Late amendment harms elections<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A legislator tries to allay fears that the delayed People's
\nConsultative Assembly (MPR) decree for a direct presidential
\nelection will hamper preparations for the 2004 general elections.<\/p>\n
Andi Mattalatta said on Monday said that the government could
\nstart revising laws on subjects other than the pending issues.<\/p>\n
For example, the government could start deliberating the bill
\non the establishment of the Regional Representatives Council
\n(DPD) and some adjustments of other laws.<\/p>\n
\"For the bill on the election system, it can be made public
\nfrom now on and the adjustments can be made later,\" Andi told The
\nJakarta Post here on Monday.<\/p>\n
Andi, a legislator from the Golkar Party, said that the House
\nof Representatives (DPR) was ready to deliberate on the amendment
\nas soon as possible.<\/p>\n
Fear of legal problems in the 2004 elections have been
\nexpressed by many groups following the delay in the amendment of
\narticles relating to the direct presidential election in last
\nweek's MPR Annual Session.<\/p>\n
An expert from the Justice and Human Rights Ministry, A.A. Oka
\nMahendra suggested that the political laws should become the top
\npriority in the House's upcoming sessions set to open on Nov. 19.<\/p>\n
\"I think the political bills are currently being reassessed at
\nthe home affairs ministry already,\" Oka said.<\/p>\n
One of those worried about the 2004 elections is Mulyana W.
\nKusumah, a member of the General Elections Commission (KPU).<\/p>\n
The failure in amending some articles, including an article on
\nthe presidential election is feared to affect the schedule to
\nrevise the laws.<\/p>\n
On Article 6A of the amendment bill, the Assembly factions
\nwere unable to reach a consensus with regard to a possible second
\nround of voting if a candidate does not receive more than half
\nthe popular vote. One side of the MPR wanted there to be a
\nsecond round of public voting, the other side thinks it would be
\nbetter if it were thrown back to the Assembly to vote on.<\/p>\n
The other article suspended for enactment is the article on
\nthe composition of the Assembly. The opposing camps argue on
\nwhether to include the non-elected Interest Group faction in the
\nmembership of the Assembly or not.<\/p>\n
\"Ideally, the political laws should have been made public 18
\nmonths before election day,\" Mulyana told the Post.<\/p>",
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