Observers hail expanded election financial donation<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
A significant increase in the level of donations allowed for
\npolitical parties has won the support of political observers and
\na politician, who see the increase as a positive measure to help
\nprevent parties obtaining money from illegal sources.<\/p>\n
The increase, proposed in the political bill, however, should
\nbe enforced with stricter regulations, compelling political
\nparties to provide regular audits, they said.<\/p>\n
\"It's better to expand the limit of the donation, otherwise
\npolitical parties will continue taking money from illegal
\nsources,\" Director of the Center for Electoral Reform (Cetro)
\nSmita Notosusanto told The Jakarta Post here on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Law enforcement was needed because Cetro had noticed that none
\nof the 48 parties contesting the 1999 election had disclosed the
\nmandatory annual report and audit result, she said.<\/p>\n
She added that the failure of political parties to submit an
\naudit report was apparently due to violations against the limit
\nof personal and institutional donations.<\/p>\n
Deputy chairman of Golkar, the second largest political party,
\nFahmi Idris agreed with the expanded limit, saying the
\nrequirements of Law No. 2\/1999 on political parties was
\nunrealistic.<\/p>\n
\"It's better to make regulations than limitations. It can also
\ncurb violations to the law,\" he said, without elaborating.<\/p>\n
The 1999 law stipulates that each party may not receive
\npersonal donations exceeding Rp 15 million (US$1,666) per year,
\nwhile donations from an institution or enterprise must not exceed
\nRp 150 million.<\/p>\n
In the revised law drafted by the Ministry of Home Affairs,
\nthe amount of personal and institutional donations has risen to
\nRp 100 million and Rp 500 million, respectively.<\/p>\n
Each individual that donates more than Rp 100 million faces a
\nmaximum fine of Rp 250 million or 90 days in detention.<\/p>\n
Fahmi said that each political party relies on donations to
\nrun various party programs, because revenue generated by
\nmembership fees alone was not enough.<\/p>\n
Fahmi acknowledged that all parties would need huge amounts of
\ncash to fund various agendas, including regional visits,
\ncongresses and administration.<\/p>\n
\"It is now more realistic,\" Fahmi told the Post, adding that
\nthe old regulation had halted Golkar from collecting more cash
\nfrom its supporters in 1999.<\/p>\n
Law No. 2\/1999 stipulates that each party is required to
\nprovide the Supreme Court with a list of donors and donations,
\nand a financial audit report 15 days before and 30 days after the
\nelection and for each year after that.<\/p>\n
Cetro advocacy director Hadar N. Gumay revealed that of the 48
\npolitical parties, only seven had provided their annual report in
\n1999 and only one had presented the report in 2000. No parties
\nsubmitted reports in 2001.<\/p>\n
The seven parties that had complied with the law in 1999 were
\nthe Love the Nation Democratic Party (PDKB), the National Mandate
\nParty (PAN), the Indonesian Peoples Party (PARI), the Justice
\nParty (PK), the People's Democratic Party (PDR), the Peace Loving
\nParty (PCD), and the Justice and Unity Party (PKP).<\/p>\n
According to the law, the Supreme Court can impose penalties
\nin the form of cutting government funding to a political party
\nwhich violates the ruling on mandatory financial reporting. It
\ncan also ban an offending party from contesting the next election
\nif they are found guilty of breaking the maximum limit of
\npersonal and institutional donations.<\/p>\n
So far, no action has been taken by the Supreme Court.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/observers-hail-expanded-election-financial-donation-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }