Parties divided on ballot process<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): While party executives agree a one vote per
\nlegislator mechanism would be best for the upcoming presidential
\nelection, they expressed differences on Tuesday over whether
\nvoting should be discreet or open.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the Golkar Party Akbar Tandjung said a secret
\nballot would be the \"most appropriate\" for the presidential
\nelection. Chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN) Amien Rais
\nsaid a secret ballot would be the most democratic method for a
\npresidential election.<\/p>\n
But he added, \"in the absence of money politics\".<\/p>\n
The presidential election is the main item on the agenda in
\nthe upcoming General Session of the People's Consultative
\nAssembly, which is slated for November.<\/p>\n
Secretary-general of the National Awakening Party (PKB)
\nMuhaimin Iskandar also said a secret ballot \"contains a weakness
\nin the possibility of money politics involved\".<\/p>\n
\"I agree on a one man one vote mechanism but it has to be
\nopen,\" he told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
An open ballot clearly shows that a legislator represents his
\nconstituency rather than himself, Muhaimin said.<\/p>\n
Amien, who spoke on his return from a minor pilgrimage to
\nMecca, has earlier raised fears that many Assembly members,
\nincluding regional representatives and those from interest
\ngroups, would be bought off ahead of the presidential election to
\nsupport the incumbent B.J. Habibie. But he added that incumbent
\npresidents everywhere have a good chance of reelection.<\/p>\n
One of Amien's deputies, Hasbalah M. Saad, separately said on
\nTuesday that an open ballot would invite the potential for
\n\"engineering\".<\/p>\n
\"With a secret ballot, (Assembly members) would be more open
\nand honest in expressing their views,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Hasbalah cited Muslim factions within the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) could support a
\nmale candidate, instead of its chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
Some Muslim leaders started a controversy when they said only
\na male Muslim should be eligible for the presidency.<\/p>\n
Free vote<\/p>\n
A political researcher at the Institute for Policy and
\nCommunity Development Studies (IPCOS) also urged on Tuesday for a
\nsecret ballot.<\/p>\n
\"Psychologically, even with a one man one vote mechanism,
\nlegislators would not be able to vote freely if they stand up
\nwhile voting,\" Joe Fernandez said. The current political laws
\nstill imply the authority of party leaders over members.<\/p>\n
\"People could just take the money and vote for something
\nelse,\" he said on the possibility of bribes.<\/p>\n
A secret ballot was essential for \"democratic maturity\", he
\nsaid. \"In the 1950s a secret ballot was no big deal,\" he said,
\nreferring to the days of the parliamentary system.<\/p>\n
In last year's General Session of the Assembly, members stood
\nup and voted on whether the military should be still given non-
\nelected seats.<\/p>\n
A secret ballot may determine whether TNI members vote
\nuniformly. A TNI spokesman said members were expected to vote for
\nthe same candidate. Another high-ranking officer said his
\npersonal view was that the TNI should abstain from the voting
\nprocess. Based on provisional poll results, no political party
\nlooks like garnering the majority needed to determine the next
\npresident.<\/p>\n
Golkar deputy chairman Marzuki Darusman also told the Post on
\nMonday that the military should remain neutral, \"even to the
\npoint of not using their votes (in the People's Consultative
\nAssembly) if necessary in deciding the outcome\".<\/p>\n
\"Allow the civilian political parties to make their choice and
\nto build up the coalition,\" he said, adding this would \"lessen
\nthe politicization of the military\" to enable them \"play a
\nconstructive role in the political process.\"<\/p>\n
Also on Tuesday, TNI Commander Gen. Wiranto said he supported
\na one man one vote system as long as it was in line with the
\nconstitution and the law. Separately, Minister of Home Affairs
\nLt. Gen. Syarwan Hamid said the possibility of PDI Perjuangan
\nchairwoman Megawati cooperating with Habibie in forming the next
\ngovernment should be seriously considered.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a group of 50 non-governmental organizations on
\nTuesday called on the public to accept the results of the June 7
\ngeneral election and the presidential election.<\/p>\n
The Movement for Anti-Violence Against Indonesian Women
\n(GAKTPI) said they suspected efforts to prevent Megawati from
\nrunning for presidency.<\/p>\n
Political lecturer Cornelis Lay last week spoke of attempts to
\nestablish an \"extra electoral process\" to determine the next
\npresident, amid the ongoing controversy of PDI Perjuangan's
\nfemale presidential candidate and reports of its many Muslim
\nlegislative members.(prb\/byg\/swa\/imn\/anr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/parties-divided-on-ballot-process-1447893297",
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