Legislators pay less attention to KPU's independence<\/p>\n
Edith Hartanto and Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Legislators say that they are committed to holding the 2004
\ngeneral election as scheduled, but they do not seem to care about
\nthe importance of an independent General Elections Commission
\n(KPU).<\/p>\n
Interviewed on Saturday, legislators from the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and the Golkar
\nParty said that the KPU should be able to operate independently
\nunder the auspices of the government as prescribed in the bill on
\nelections currently being deliberated by the House of
\nRepresentatives (DPR).<\/p>\n
"If KPU members feel they can't organize the polls on time,
\nthey should resign," said Agustin Teras Narang of PDI Perjuangan
\nfaction.<\/p>\n
"Frankly, we don't see any problem with the independence of
\nthe KPU in the bill," Agustin, who chairs House of
\nRepresentatives Commission II for legal and home affairs, said.<\/p>\n
The KPU comprises 11 independent and professional people who
\nwere installed last year in a departure from the 1999 election
\nprocedures in which KPU members consisted of political party
\nrepresentatives.<\/p>\n
KPU members have complained that the election bill drafted by
\nthe government undermines its independence by giving the Ministry
\nof Home Affairs most of the authority to organize the polls. They
\nclaim that an independent KPU is a prerequisite to a democratic
\nelection.<\/p>\n
The KPU warned over the weekend that insubstantial
\ndeliberation of the election bill could force the next elections
\nto be postponed, as a credible election needed at least two years
\nof preparation. Less than two years of preparation would result
\nin an election of inferior quality, they said.<\/p>\n
One of the unintended consequences of a delayed poll would be
\nan extension in the tenure of President Megawati Soekarnoputri
\nand her Cabinet as well as legislators.<\/p>\n
KPU members are due to present their own draft of the election
\nbill at a hearing with the House on July 11.<\/p>\n
Teras said that a limited budget had made it impossible for
\nthe establishment of a totally independent KPU.<\/p>\n
"Why must we debate on this (the separation of the KPU general
\nsecretariat from the Ministry of Home Affairs) matter? It does
\nnot relate to the KPU's independence.<\/p>\n
"The KPU cannot receive a budget from the government if its
\ngeneral secretariat is not placed under the authority of a
\nministry," he said.<\/p>\n
The 1999 elections cost the state Rp 1.3 trillion (US$149
\nbillion at the current rate). The current government faces a
\nbudget deficit partly due to the prolonged economic crisis.<\/p>\n
Legislator Yahya Zaini of the Golkar Party said that with
\nstaff coming from the bureaucracy, the KPU could still function
\nas an independent election organizer.<\/p>\n
"The KPU wouldn't have to worry about that. By using the
\nministry's staff, the KPU wouldn't have to worry about paying
\nthem because they are civil servants," Yahya said.<\/p>\n
What the lawmakers seem to overlook is that the bureaucrats
\nmay be tempted to resort to corruption. Thousands of fraud cases
\nduring the 1999 elections allegedly committed by bureaucrats and
\npolitical party officials have yet to be brought to court.<\/p>\n
The election bill is part of a package of four political bills
\nthat must be endorsed by the House in December at the latest as a
\nprecondition to holding the 2004 general election.<\/p>\n
MPR Decree No.IV\/1999 stipulates that the next general
\nelection must be held by 2004 at the latest. The KPU will decide
\non the exact election date after consulting with the President.<\/p>\n
Main bones of contention concerning KPU's independence<\/p>\n
Government:<\/p>\n
* In carrying out its duty, the KPU is assisted by a secretariat
\ngeneral which functions as a government institution under the
\nauspices of the Ministry of Home Affairs.<\/p>\n
* The secretary-general and deputy secretary-general are
\ninaugurated and dismissed by the President based on proposals by
\nthe minister of home affairs.<\/p>\n
* The organization and structure of the KPU secretariat general
\nare decided by the minister of home affairs.<\/p>\n
* The KPU secretary-general is answerable to the KPU chairman
\nonly for the operational aspects of the election, but at the same
\ntime the secretary-general is tied administratively -- on finance
\nand budget -- to the minister of home affairs.<\/p>\n
KPU<\/p>\n
* The KPU is assisted by a secretariat general which functions as
\na non-departmental government institution.<\/p>\n
* The secretary-general and deputy secretary-general are proposed
\nby the KPU and installed as well as dismissed by the President.<\/p>\n
* The organization and structure of the KPU general secretariat
\nare set by the President based on the KPU's proposals.<\/p>\n
* The KPU secretary-general is answerable to the KPU chairman.<\/p>\n
Source: The government and the KPU's version of the general
\nelection bill.<\/p>",
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