Poll bodies independence ensured<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): National Election Committee (PPI) chairman Jacob
\nTobing insisted that government representatives would not play a
\ndominant role in the committee, to ensure its independence and a
\nfree and fair general election.<\/p>\n
\"We have decided that the regional and provincial committees
\nwill also be chaired by a political party representative,\" Jacob
\nsaid after the committee's leadership meeting here on Friday.<\/p>\n
Jacob himself is a deputy chairman of the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).<\/p>\n
He said abuse by the government would be impossible because
\nall phases of the elections were organized by the election
\ncommittee and its offices in provinces, regencies and districts,
\nunder the close scrutiny of several local and foreign watchdog
\norganizations.<\/p>\n
Jacob said the meeting also decided that one vote would be
\ngiven to each person in the committee.<\/p>\n
\"Unlike the General Elections Commission (KPU), all members in
\nthe election committee are treated equally: one vote for one
\nman,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In the KPU, the votes of the five government representatives
\nare equal to the combined votes of the 48 parties contesting the
\npolls.<\/p>\n
Jacob said the committee was made up of seven executives from
\nthe KPU, five government representatives and 48 representatives
\nof contesting political parties. The membership of regional and
\nprovincial committees is yet to be decided. Representation of a
\nparty would depend on that party's presence in each region or
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
\"Both the government and political parties have been asked to
\nsend the names of their representatives to the committee this
\nweek,\" he said, adding that the election committee would be
\nofficially installed by KPU chairman Rudini on Monday.<\/p>\n
He said that both the KPU and the committee were racing with
\ntime to complete their tasks.<\/p>\n
\"The commission has to complete deliberation of its internal
\nrulings and the electoral code of conduct while the committee has
\nto finish establishing provincial election committees in all
\nprovinces before April 1, the start of voter registration,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Jacob urged governors to send dedicated and neutral
\nrepresentatives to provincial election committees to ensure the
\nfairness of the polls.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has selected 30 civilian
\ncommunity figures to establish an official committee to monitor
\nthe general election.<\/p>\n
A source at the Court said on Friday that the new committee
\nmembers were to be installed by the Supreme Court on Monday.<\/p>\n
The 30 include chairman of the Indonesian Ulama Council Ali
\nYafie, political scientists Arbi Sanit and Miriam Budiardjo,
\npsychiatrist Dadang Hawari, lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis, poll watch
\nactivist Mulyana W. Kusumah, legal professor Satya Arinanto, and
\nsecretary-general of the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI)
\nSularso Sopater.<\/p>\n
Mudji Sutrisno, a philosopher and another one of the 30
\nfigures named, confirmed that Sarwata briefed them on their
\nappointment in the Official Election Monitoring Committee
\n(Panwaslak) and on their Monday installment. All those invited
\nhad agreed to sit in the committee, he said.<\/p>\n
\"We were told our main tasks in the election monitoring but we
\nare waiting for a code of conduct from the commission,\" he said,
\nreferring to the KPU. (rms\/byg)<\/p>",
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