Luring but excessive element<\/p>\n
The General Elections Commission (KPU) has again become an
\nobject of public scorn and a target of complaint due to its
\nsluggish working system. The focus this time is its Team of 15,
\nwhich is responsible for the selection of organizations to be
\nrepresented in the interest group faction in the People's
\nConsultative Assembly (MPR).<\/p>\n
Last week the Indonesian Buddhists Association was among those
\nwho protested the selection process and questioned the nomination
\nof an unaccredited Buddhist organization as a community
\nrepresentative.<\/p>\n
Minister of Agriculture Soleh Solahuddin and Indonesian
\nFarmers Association chairman Siswono Yudhohusodo also blasted the
\nKPU for apparently failing to provide seats for representatives
\nof the farming community.<\/p>\n
Executives of the Indonesian Association of Small
\nEntrepreneurs and the Ansor Islamic youth organization
\ndemonstrated outside the KPU office on Friday to protest the
\nselection process.<\/p>\n
Although the results of the selection have not been officially
\nannounced, copies of the list of the team's nominations have
\ncirculated among the public. All these complaints were lodged
\namid dwindling public patience because there is so little time
\nfor other reform agendas. Society earlier grumbled over the
\ncommission's slow vote count.<\/p>\n
While the KPU is now dominated by minor political parties, who
\nfailed to win even minimum support in the recent general
\nelection, the problem it is now tackling is complicated enough.
\nThe 1945 Constitution, which stipulates that interest groups must
\nbe represented in the MPR, is not explicit about the matter. The
\nConstitution is known for its brief, vague articles.<\/p>\n
The deliberation of this problem by the team has been made
\nmore complicated by the blatant personal interests of each member
\n-- notably the smallest parties, each of which is overly
\nambitious to get its own people into the faction so that they
\nwill have a means to channel their voices in the country's
\nhighest constitutional body.<\/p>\n
If only all the team members realized the true significance of
\ntheir mission and the complexity of the selection process,
\nperhaps they would not use the sessions as a place to fight for
\ntheir own interests. In this age of openness, where new
\nprofessional organizations have been mushrooming, to select the
\nreal representative for each profession has become more
\ndifficult.<\/p>\n
For example, it is not easy to select a representative of the
\npress because there are now scores of journalists associations.
\nIdeally, each of the group representatives will focus on the
\ninterests of his or her respective group's aspirations.<\/p>\n
But with all the personal interests and the already existing
\nproblems, the team's meetings appear to be nothing more than bull
\nsessions where one hears the names of not only genuine
\nprofessional groups but also of non-governmental organizations,
\nmany of which have never been heard of.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, to the most victorious political parties
\nwhich have fielded presidential candidates, the 65-member
\ninterest group faction will be very seductive. How many of their
\nown men they get accepted into the faction will be of great
\nconsequence to them.<\/p>\n
However, objectively speaking, the new faction will be starkly
\nawkward -- if not redundant -- in a democratic MPR because all
\ngrown-up citizens, including members of professional
\norganizations, used their right to vote for their favorite
\npolitical party in the June polls.<\/p>\n
A professor of constitutional law at Gadjah Mada University
\nwas right in his recent call for the next MPR session to phase
\nout the interest group faction for that very reason.<\/p>\n
If it is too late for the General Session to take such an
\nsubstantial decision, the KPU could now rule that members of this
\nfaction do not have the right to vote in presidential elections.
\nMembers of the faction would have to concentrate on issues
\nrelated to their professions only. It would be more ethical and
\nresponsible.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/luring-but-excessive-element-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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