Panwaslu rejects Gus Dur's complaint<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
For the second time in a week, former president Abdurrahman \"Gus
\nDur\" Wahid has hit a snag in efforts to revive his chances of
\nreturning to power.<\/p>\n
The General Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu)
\nrejected on Friday a demand to include his name in the roster of
\neligible candidates.<\/p>\n
Last Saturday, the General Elections Commission (KPU)
\ndisqualified him from the presidential race citing health
\nreasons.<\/p>\n
The committee said that Panwaslu could not heed the demand of
\nthe visually impaired Muslim cleric as it was beyond the
\ncommittee's authority to take that decision.<\/p>\n
\"The authority to include the eligible candidates rests with
\nthe KPU. Panwaslu has no such mandate,\" committee member Masyhudi
\nsaid, quoting Law No. 23\/2003 on presidential election.<\/p>\n
The committee then referred Gus Dur to the administrative
\ncourt to file a suit. \"The KPU ruling on the eligibility of
\npresidential and vice presidential candidates was drawn up by
\nstate officials, it (the case) could, therefore, be a taken up by
\nthe administrative court,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The meeting was presided by committee deputy chairman Saut
\nSirait, as chairman Komaruddin Hidayat had left the Panwaslu
\noffice after waiting for Gus Dur's arrival for almost two hours.<\/p>\n
The committee, however, said that another KPU ruling which
\nrequired a mandatory medical examination for presidential and
\nvice presidential candidates was not drafted in line with Law No.
\n23\/1992 on health.<\/p>\n
Lawyers of Gus Dur have filed complaints with the committee
\nagainst KPU Ruling No. 36\/2004 on the eligibility of presidential
\nand vice presidential candidates, which resulted in the
\ndisqualification of the revered cleric.<\/p>\n
The commission has declared eligible Democratic Party nominees
\nSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Yusuf Kalla, Golkar Party nominees
\nGen. (ret) Wiranto and Solahuddin Wahid, National Mandate Party
\nnominees Amien Rais and Siswono Yudohusodo, Indonesian Democratic
\nParty of Struggle nominees Megawati Soekarnoputri and Hasyim
\nMuzadi, and United Development Party nominees Hamzah Haz and Agum
\nGumelar for the direct presidential election.<\/p>\n
To resolve the dispute, the committee summoned the KPU for a
\ntripartite meeting. The KPU declined to attend any meetings to
\nresolve the dispute, and was adamant in saying that it had no
\ndispute with Gus Dur.<\/p>\n
Differences over ways to handle the dispute have aggravated
\nconflict between the KPU and Panwaslu.<\/p>\n
Despite the committee's rejection, Gus Dur said after the
\nmeeting that he was grateful for what Panwaslu had done. \"This is
\na historic decision and I am happy for it. This decision has a
\npositive tone and Panwaslu should be applauded,\" Gus Dur told
\nreporters.<\/p>\n
Bowing to the committee's recommendation, Gus Dur said that
\nhis defense team would soon file a suit with the administrative
\ncourt.<\/p>\n
Earlier this week, Gus Dur's defense team filed a civil
\nlawsuit against three institutions he deemed responsible for
\nthwarting his presidential bid.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur sued the KPU, the Ministry of Health and the
\nIndonesian Doctors' Association (IDI) for declaring him unfit to
\nrun for public office, seeking a whopping Rp 1 trillion (US$110
\nmillion) in nonmaterial damages.<\/p>\n
The defense team will also seek a judicial review with the
\nSupreme Court on the ruling.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/panwaslu-rejects-gus-durs-complaint-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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