Leading figures warn of 'disaster' if polls unfair<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The nation could be torn apart if there is no
\nguarantee that next year's general election will be free and
\nfair, it was warned on Sunday.<\/p>\n
\"Poll rigging will lead to a disaster,\" Siswono Yudohusodo of
\nthe Movement for Indonesian Justice and Unity (GKPB) said here
\nduring the organization's national consultation meeting.<\/p>\n
Amien Rais of the National Mandate Party (PAN) said in Padang,
\nWest Sumatra: \"We don't want anyone playing foul like in the
\nelections under New Order. Any instance of cheating, he said,
\nwould be widely protested. \"And the nation will face an even
\nbigger problem.\"<\/p>\n
The warnings came amid deliberations of three political bills
\nby the House of Representatives (DPR). The bills are slated for
\nendorsement on Jan. 28.<\/p>\n
The poll, slated for June, a month later than originally
\nscheduled, will be the nation's ninth since its independence from
\nDutch colonial rule. The first -- dubbed the most democratic --
\nwas held in 1955. The seven other polls held under former
\npresident Soeharto's New Order were criticized as being massively
\nrigged in favor of the ruling Golkar party.<\/p>\n
To pave way for democratic elections in the post-Soeharto era,
\nthree of the laws -- on elections, on political parties, on the
\nstructure and position of the People's Consultative Assembly
\n(MPR) and the DPR -- will be revoked and replaced with the ones
\ncurrently being deliberated in the DPR.<\/p>\n
In a statement issued after the meeting, GKPB said that the
\nupcoming election was a must for setting up a legitimate
\ngovernment, \"... so efforts to settle the crisis and eradication
\nof corruption, collusion and nepotism can command support,
\nconsistency and justice,\" the statement read by GKPB Coordinator
\nSarwono Kusumaatmadja said.<\/p>\n
To ensure a free and fair elections, GKPB suggested the
\nelection of DPRD I (provincial)\/DPR II (regency) legislators be
\nheld on the same day as the national representatives.<\/p>\n
The government has suggested, through its bill on elections,
\nthat the local elections be held on different days.<\/p>\n
All the factions in the DPR's 87-member Special Committee
\ndeliberating the bills -- Golkar, the Indonesian Democratic Party
\n(PDI), United Development Party (PPP) and the Armed Forces (ABRI)
\n-- have proposed it be held on the same day.<\/p>\n
In line with widespread calls to avoid a repetition of
\ngovernment intervention blamed for contributing to Golkar's
\nrepeated victories, GKPB also urged that the bill limit the role
\nof the government in the administration of polling to \"financing
\nand facilitating the poll and providing security\".<\/p>\n
\"The emphasis of poll administration must be on the society,
\nespecially the contesting political parties,\" GKPB said.<\/p>\n
The government has proposed the formation of an electoral
\ncommittee, which it has called the National Election
\nImplementation Committee (KPU), at provincial and regency levels.
\nIt will consist of \"five representatives from the government,
\nfive from society and one from each political party\".<\/p>\n
The members from society will be determined by political
\nparties and the government, the government has proposed.<\/p>\n
The National KPU will make policies regarding the poll
\norganization while the Indonesian Election Committee (PPI) --
\nwhich the KPU will set up at provincial and regency levels --
\nwill oversee polling administration, the government has
\nsuggested.<\/p>\n
PPI will also consist of representatives from the government,
\npolitical parties and society. KPU will determine which members
\nof the society will be included.<\/p>\n
GKPB also said on Sunday it would work together with all
\nmembers of society to supervise the polls. It also commended the
\nretention of the proportional representation voting system.<\/p>\n
Another issue related to free and fair elections was also
\ntouched on. Siswono and Golkar legislator Sutradara Ginting of
\nGKPB urged that the country's four million civil servants be
\nneutral from all political parties.<\/p>\n
Ginting said the neutrality of both ABRI members and civil
\nservants was a requirement for a free and fair elections.<\/p>\n
\"I don't know if Golkar has a vested interest of its own if it
\ninsists on making civil servants free to join political parties,\"
\nGinting of the DPR's Commission I for political affairs said.<\/p>\n
Last week, Golkar contradicted the government and three other
\nfactions to fight for civil servants' right to be free to join
\npolitical parties. Deliberations on the issue were left pending.
\n(28\/aan)<\/p>",
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