Parties seek closed presidential race<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The opportunity for Indonesians to vote for candidates of their
\nchoice in the 2004 presidential election is under threat, as the
\ntwo largest factions in the House of Representatives have sought
\nto limit the number of parties participating in the election.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan),
\nthe largest faction, and Golkar, second-largest, have submitted
\nseparately suggestions to the House special commission currently
\ndeliberating the presidential elections bill.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan, headed by President Megawati Soekarnoputri,
\nhas suggested that only parties and coalitions that garner 20
\npercent or more of legislature seats may field candidates in the
\nfirst-ever direct presidential election in 2004. If endorsed,
\nthere will be five presidential candidates at the most in 2004.<\/p>\n
Golkar, on the other hand, has proposed that only parties that
\nwin 35 percent or more of legislature seats can nominate
\ncandidates. This means there would be only two presidential
\ncandidates contesting the election.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan has 153 seats, or almost 34 percent of the 500-
\nmember House, while Golkar has 120, or 24 percent of House seats.
\nThe TNI\/police faction, which has 38 members, has thrown its
\nsupport behind PDI Perjuangan.<\/p>\n
Other large political parties -- the National Awakening Party
\n(PKB), United Development Party (PPP) and National Mandate Party
\n(PAN) -- have also submitted suggestions and called for the
\nscrapping of any limitation.<\/p>\n
The bill, drafted by the Ministry of Home Affairs, states that
\nonly parties, or coalitions of parties, winning 20 percent of the
\nvotes in the legislative election, should be allowed to run for
\nthe presidency.<\/p>\n
Some small political parties have opposed the limitation,
\naccusing PDI Perjuangan and Golkar of trying to strengthen their
\ngrip on power by shutting out other political parties.<\/p>\n
Agun Gunandjar Sudarsa of Golkar defended the limitation,
\nsaying that the move did not necessarily amount to a restriction
\non the rights of political parties.<\/p>\n
Agun added that the stricter limitation would prompt political
\nparties to form coalitions.<\/p>\n
The list of suggestions submitted by political parties also
\ndeals with academic requirements for presidential candidates.<\/p>\n
All but PDI Perjuangan proposed that presidential candidates
\nshould be university graduates. PDI Perjuangan, on the other
\nhand, suggested that a senior high school graduate could run for
\nthe country's top post. PDI Perjuangan chairwoman, Megawati, does
\nnot have a university degree.<\/p>\n
The Golkar faction, meanwhile, rejected a stipulation in the
\nbill that a criminal suspect or convict in a crime that carried a
\njail sentence of more than five years should not be allowed to
\ncontest the presidential election.<\/p>\n
According to Golkar legislators, whose chairman Akbar Tandjung
\nwas sentenced to three years in jail for corruption involving the
\nState Logistics Agency, banning such a person from being
\nnominated would contradict human rights principles.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the wrangling, political analyst and expert
\nadviser to the home ministry Cecep Effendi said on Friday that
\nthere was nothing wrong with the arguments of House factions.<\/p>\n
\"Political parties are formed to accommodate the aspirations
\nof their supporters. It is normal for those factions to fight for
\ntheir interests,\" Cecep said at a discussion here on Friday.<\/p>\n
Although Cecep did not see the contention as a serious
\nproblem, leaders of House factions denied that they were merely
\nfighting for their own vested interests.<\/p>\n
Zaenal Arifin, of PDI Perjuangan, acknowledged that party
\ninterests from each faction were expressed during deliberations
\non the presidential elections bill. \"That was inevitable,\" Zaenal
\nadded.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/parties-seek-closed-presidential-race-1447893297",
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