Over 200 parties registered for 2004 elections<\/p>\n
As of the end of July, the number of political parties registered
\nwith the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights for the 2004
\ngeneral election had reached a staggering 204.<\/p>\n
The number of parties far exceeds the figure in 1999, when 149
\nparties registered for the first election held in the post-New
\nOrder era.<\/p>\n
Although the parties wanting to contest the next election
\nclaim to have opened dozens of branches across the country and
\nboast thousands of members, many believe only a few of them will
\nqualify.<\/p>\n
The bill on general elections, which will be discussed by the
\nHouse of Representatives starting on Thursday, stipulates that a
\nparty should have branches in at least two-thirds of the
\ncountry's 30 provinces and two-thirds of the country's
\ncities\/regencies. Each branch should comprise at least 1,000
\nmembers.<\/p>\n
Only 48 parties were eligible for the 1999 election, and only
\none-fourth of them managed to win House seats. Of these parties,
\nonly those that won at least 2 percent of the vote or 10 House
\nseats will be allowed to contest the next polls.<\/p>\n
Like in the past, some of the registered parties used fake
\naddresses and telephone numbers.<\/p>\n
\"It's Pak Bonar's house, not the office of the Young
\nGeneration Party,\" a woman replied when contacted by The Jakarta
\nPost on Monday.<\/p>\n
The office of the Islamic Radical Party chaired by Hasan
\nJawas, which is located in Ciputat according to Ministry of
\nJustice and Human Rights data, apparently belongs to a resident
\nnamed Ridwan. Hasan is a resident of Lampung.<\/p>\n
Legislator Gregorius Seto Haryanto of the Love the Nation
\nDemocratic Party (PDKB), which won five House seats in the last
\nelection, has registered a new party named the Defenders of Love
\nthe Nation Democratic Party (PPDKB).<\/p>\n
Legislators Abdul Qadir Djailani and Hartono Mardjono, who
\nhave been expelled from the Crescent Star Party, has established
\nthe Al-Islam Welfare Indonesia Party (PAS Indonesia) and the
\nIndonesia Islamic Party (PII) respectively.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/over-200-parties-registered-for-2004-elections-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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