One-round election mooted<\/p>\n
JAKARTA: Members of the Constitutional Commission (MK) agreed
\non Wednesday that the presidential election should involve only
\none round in an attempt to reduce expense and political tension.<\/p>\n
Deputy commission chairman Ishak Latuconsina said that the
\ncommission would revise the Constitution so as to allow for a
\none-round presidential election.<\/p>\n
The revision would be offered to the People's Consultative
\nAssembly (MPR) for approval in March next year.<\/p>\n
\"We will discuss the issue with the political parties to
\npersuade them to accept the draft,\" Ishak told a press conference
\non Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Under the law as it now stands, a second round of presidential
\nelections has to be held if the first round fails to produce a
\nclear winner.<\/p>\n
At least 24 parties have been declared eligible to run in next
\nyear's general election, after which the country will hold its
\nfirst ever direct presidential election.<\/p>\n
The MPR agreed last year to set up a commission to assess the
\namended Constitution. The commission was established last August
\nand was given seven months to complete its work.<\/p>\n
Ishak refused to give any detailed information on the other
\nconclusions reached by the 31-strong commission. -- JP<\/p>\n
;JP;IWA;
\nANPAa..r..
\nScene-witnesses-report
\n'Witnesses not to sign vote reports'
\nJP\/4\/scene<\/p>\n
'Witnesses not to sign vote reports'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA: The General Elections Commission (KPU) said on
\nWednesday that monitors of the 2004 general election would not be
\nrequired to sign the reports on ballot counts in order to speed
\nup the election process.<\/p>\n
According to KPU deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti, asking
\nelection monitors to do so would only slow down the count. He did
\nnot explain why.<\/p>\n
In the 1999 election, election monitors had to sign the
\nreports on the ballot counts they had witnessed.<\/p>\n
Indonesia will hold a legislative election in April 2004 and
\ndirect presidential election in July. At least 24 parties have
\nqualified to participate in the legislative election.<\/p>\n
;JP;DEWI;
\nANPAa..r..
\nScene-PKB
\nNursyahbani joins PKB
\nJP\/ \/SCENEKPI<\/p>\n
Nursyahbani joins PKB<\/p>\n
JAKARTA: The secretary-general of the Indonesian Women's
\nCoalition for Justice and Democracy, Nursyahbani Katjasungkana,
\nsaid here on Wednesday that her five-year term as secretary-
\ngeneral had expired and that it was time for someone new to take
\nover.<\/p>\n
Nursyahbani said that she had refused to be reappointed as
\nthere were many talented and creative young party members whom
\nshe believed would be suitable to serve as the KPI's frontwoman.<\/p>\n
\"If I stay and let myself be re-elected, it'll mean that there
\nwill be no regeneration in the KPI,\" she told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
She added that she was now a legislative candidate for the
\nNational Awakening Party (PKB) in East Java province.<\/p>\n
Although she was listed as a second candidate for the party,
\nshe was not sure which district she would be standing in.<\/p>\n
\"It could be either Probolinggo or Madura,\" she said. --JP<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/one-round-election-mooted-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }