Observers slam KPU for lack of transparency<\/p>\n
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A number of organizations criticized on Tuesday the General
\nElections Commission (KPU) for its failure to consult the public
\nin many of its roles.<\/p>\n
\"We respect KPU members who are independent and credible. But
\nthey have so far issued a number of questionable policies without
\nthe participation of the public,\" Laode Ida of the Center for
\nRegional Development Studies (PSPK) told a discussion to evaluate
\nthe performance of the current KPU since its establishment last
\nyear.<\/p>\n
Criticism also came from the Elections Supervisory Committee
\n(Panwaslu) and the Center for Indonesian Law and Policy Studies
\n(PSHK).<\/p>\n
KPU is preparing for the direct elections of legislative
\nmembers and the president next year.<\/p>\n
Laode said that examples of KPU's poor performance included,
\ntraces of a mark-up in the distribution of population census
\nforms, the extension of the population census period and its
\ncontroversial decision to procure operational cars without a
\ntender.<\/p>\n
KPU also seems to be unaware of the unrest caused by its
\nproposal to allocate Rp 649 billion (US$76.3 million) of its
\nbudget, which comes from taxpayers' money, to construct houses
\nfor its members, Laode said.<\/p>\n
The absence of transparency in KPU, he added, was proven by
\nits failure to make public all information via its website,
\nincluding the process of some tenders, as claimed by several KPU
\nmembers.<\/p>\n
KPU was also considered weak in dealing with political
\nparties, according to Laode, as apparent in its failure to punish
\nparties that held election rallies under the mask of cadre
\ngatherings.<\/p>\n
KPU had said earlier it could not take action against the
\nparties as such activities could not be considered election
\ncampaigns until the parties were declared eligible. The
\ncommission will announce eligible parties on Dec, 2.<\/p>\n
\"We have seen KPU emerge as a super and overconfident
\ninstitution that produces policies without public participation,\"
\nLaode concluded.<\/p>\n
He warned KPU that it could no longer rely on the confidence
\nof the public if it maintained its current standards.<\/p>\n
Saut H. Sirait of Panwaslu and Bivitri Susanti of PSHK shared
\nLaode's view.<\/p>\n
However, Saut said it was difficult for Panwaslu to discover
\nany violations committed by KPU as the supervisory commission
\nfell under KPU's auspices.<\/p>\n
He said it was the House of Representatives' jobs to supervise
\nthe KPU, but this was not the case due to various political
\ninterests.<\/p>\n
In the absence of the House's control, Saut expected
\nnongovernmental organizations (NGOs), such as PSPK, PSHK, and
\nmonitoring agencies including the Independent Committee for
\nElection Monitoring (KIPP) and the Rector Forum, to take
\ninitiative.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Bivitri suggested that the NGOs alliance promote
\npublic monitoring of KPU, and should file lawsuits against KPU
\nfor issuing policies that were not beneficial to the public.<\/p>",
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