Plan to delay MPR session 'hasty': KPU<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The General Elections Commission (KPU) has
\ntermed "hasty" the government's announcement that the General
\nSession of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), involving
\nthe election of the president, would likely be postponed by a
\nmonth.<\/p>\n
Technical difficulties would at most delay the announcement of
\nnational vote counts from the general election by "three days",
\nKPU chairman Rudini said on Monday. He added that the rest of the
\nschedule would not be disrupted by the delay.<\/p>\n
President B.J. Habibie signaled on Friday that the session to
\nelect a president and vice president would likely be moved to
\nDecember due to the KPU's decision to delay preceding stages,
\nincluding the national vote count.<\/p>\n
The original schedule fixed July 8 as the date for the
\nannouncement of final vote results for the national, provincial
\nand regional legislative bodies. KPU said last week that national
\ntallying would start on July 6.<\/p>\n
Legal and political experts were alarmed by the government's
\nstatement, fearing the likelihood of clashes between supporters
\nof rival political camps and the withdrawal of foreign investors
\ndue to the continuation of the prolonged political uncertainty.<\/p>\n
The commission took 10 days to decide that national tallying
\nwould start on July 6, postponed from the original June 21.<\/p>\n
Rudini said the KPU did not receive a request from the
\nNational Elections Committee (PPI), which will carry out the
\nnational ballot count, for a delay in the announcement of the
\npoll results.<\/p>\n
He dismissed speculation PPI would need an additional month to
\ncomplete the tabulation, even though there will be only two days
\nfrom the start of counting on July 6 to the scheduled completion.<\/p>\n
"I know that ballots in some regencies are still uncounted.
\nBut if the PPI really needs extra time to complete the vote
\ncount ... at the most, it would only need three additional days.<\/p>\n
"Meanwhile, the schedule for subsequent stages of the general
\nelection, including the MPR General Session, would not be
\naffected."<\/p>\n
Separately, PPI chairman Jacob Tobing said on Monday that the
\nelection committee would start the vote count at the PPI's
\nsecretariat on Tuesday with official reports and tabulated
\nresults from 18 provincial election committees.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, KPU's plenary meeting voted on Monday that only two
\nof five alliances of political parties were eligible to carry out
\ntheir vote-sharing agreements.<\/p>\n
"The two groups submitted their agreements before the deadline
\n(June 4), complete with authorized signatures and their parties'
\nstamps," Rudini said after the meeting.<\/p>\n
The first agreement involves the United Development Party
\n(PPP), the Crescent Star Party (PBB), the Justice Party (PK), the
\nNahdlatul Ummat Party (PNU), the Muslim Community Awakening Party
\n(PKU), the Indonesian United Islam Party 1905 (PSII-1905), the
\nIslamic Community Party (PUI) and the Indonesian Masyumi Islamic
\nPolitical Party (PPIM).<\/p>\n
The second agreement involves the Love the Nation Democratic
\nParty (PDKB), the Indonesian Unity in Diversity Part (PBI) and
\nthe Indonesian Democrats Alliance Party (PADI).<\/p>\n
Member parties of the other three groups are therefore denied
\nthe possibility of securing seats in the House of
\nRepresentatives.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Union Party (PUDI) Sri
\nBintang Pamungkas, whose party was not among the two eligible
\ngroups, urged that they still be given the opportunity to
\nestablish vote-sharing agreements, often called stembus akoord.<\/p>\n
"I'm concerned with the people's votes, which cannot be
\naccommodated by the two stembus akoord agreements," he said.<\/p>\n
"I know that it's only a proposal and a totally new mechanism.
\nStill, the people who have voted for the minority parties also
\nshould be represented in the House."<\/p>\n
He suggested that a new faction of minority parties be
\nestablished in the legislature.<\/p>\n
As of late Monday provisional results released by the General
\nElections Commission showed the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan) had won 23.68 million votes; Golkar had
\n12.67 million votes and the National Awakening Party (PKB) had
\n11.31 million votes.(imn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/plan-to-delay-mpr-session-hasty-kpu-1447893297",
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