'Parties start charging legislator candidates'<\/p>\n
Moch. N. Kurniawan and ID Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta\/Surabaya<\/p>\n
An independent election watchdog has alleged that some political
\nparties are charging legislator hopefuls administrative fees of
\nup to Rp 16 million (US$1,900).<\/p>\n
Independent Committee for Election Monitoring (KIPP) executive
\nPipit Rochiyat Kartawidjaja said on Saturday the fees were being
\nused to finance the parties' campaigns for the 2004 elections.<\/p>\n
\"This is a dilemma because if those candidates get elected,
\nthey will feel they have the right to corrupt at least the
\nequivalent of the amount they contributed to the parties,\" Pipit
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party for Struggle
\n(PDI Perjuangan), Golkar, the National Awakening Party (PKB) and
\nthe National Mandate Party (PAN) were requiring legislator
\naspirants to pay millions of rupiah.<\/p>\n
For example, the PAN branch in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra, is
\ncharging the party's regency and municipality legislative
\ncandidates an administrative fee of Rp 16 million, Pipit said.<\/p>\n
In other regencies, PAN is asking its legislative candidates
\nto pay Rp 7 million, he said.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan, Golkar and the PKB are charging their
\nlegislative candidates Rp 1.5 million administrative fees, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Pipit said Golkar charged candidates between Rp 200 million
\nand Rp 300 million to get a position near the top of the list for
\nprovincial legislative councils.<\/p>\n
For the House of Representatives, Golkar requires hopefuls to
\npay Rp 400 million to secure a top position on the party's list
\nof House legislative candidates, he said.<\/p>\n
The secretary of the Golkar faction in the House, Yahya Zaini,
\nacknowledged that some parties were charging administrative fees
\nbut denied that Golkar was involved in the practice.<\/p>\n
\"We are still considering whether or not to impose an
\nadministrative fee following a proposal from our regional
\noffices,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Yahya said these fees were acceptable as long as they did not
\naffect the party's decision on which legislative candidates to
\nfield.<\/p>\n
Indonesia will hold a legislative election on April 5, 2004,
\nand a presidential election on July 5, with the runoff election
\nto be held on Sept. 20 if necessary.<\/p>\n
Separately, PDI Perjuangan secretary-general Sutjipto said
\nincumbent legislators should offer financial support to the party
\nfor their renomination in next year's elections.<\/p>\n
\"There should be a meeting to decide the amount legislators
\nshould donate,\" he said in Surabaya.<\/p>\n
\"Otherwise, the legislators will be perceived as thankless
\nmembers of the party. Many own a number of cars that they would
\nnot have been able to afford had they not been legislators.\"<\/p>\n
However, he said this did not mean that only the rich could be
\nbecome PDI Perjuangan legislators.<\/p>",
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