Poll commission to meet party leaders, officials<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The General Election Commission (KPU) is to meet
\nTuesday with leaders of the 48 political parties and related
\ngovernment officials to discuss the potential for unrest around
\nthe June 7 general election, and to establish a commitment for
\npeaceful, free and fair polls.<\/p>\n
\"We will discuss pre-campaigning, campaigning and post
\ncampaigning rules and punishments in a bid to curb conflicts
\nbetween party followers. After all, almost all parties have
\nstolen the start by campaigning prematurely,\" KPU chairman Rudini
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Minister of Defense and Security\/Indonesian Military Commander
\nGen. Wiranto, National Police chief Gen. Roesmanhadi, Minister of
\nHome Affairs Syarwan Hamid and Minister of Justice Muladi are
\nscheduled to attend the session, he said.<\/p>\n
Rudini said the meeting was prompted by reports of bloody
\nclashes between political party supporters.<\/p>\n
\"We will ask for parties' commitment to take responsibility
\nfor managing their followers. I sense that many parties are
\nunable to control their supporters, especially at the grassroots
\nlevel.\"<\/p>\n
The 16-day official campaigning period is to start on May 19.<\/p>\n
In the media briefing, Rudini also revealed his plan to ask
\nWiranto to announce the names of military officers to be
\nappointed Indonesian Military (TNI) legislators so the public
\ncould pass judgment on the nominees.<\/p>\n
The military has been allocated 38 unelected seats at the 462-
\nseat House of Representatives (DPR).<\/p>\n
\"I think it'd be better that the (military legislature) names
\nbe announced like any other legislative nominees. After all, they
\nwould represent the people,\" he said. \"Members of the public can
\nair their objection of any names directly to the TNI commander.\"<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, KPU government representative Andi Alfian
\nMallarangeng also said it is likely that in restive areas such as
\nMaluku, East Timor and Aceh, voter registration be extended up to
\nballoting day on June 7.<\/p>\n
\"That is in order to enable residents to directly register and
\nvote, and be protected by security personnel (in balloting
\nstations),\" he said.<\/p>\n
The KPU will also discuss on Wednesday whether to allow its
\nmembers to take part in the campaigning period.<\/p>\n
\"I have said very early that KPU members must not campaign
\nbecause to do so would endanger the independence of the body. We
\nare all here as government officials serving the state,\" Andi
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The KPU has banned political parties from using government
\nofficials in campaigns. Violating parties could face
\ndisqualification from the elections.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Mahadi Sinambela, who represents Golkar in the KPU,
\nsaid his party would not list the chairman of Supreme Advisory
\nCouncil (DPA), A.A. Baramuli, as a campaigner.<\/p>\n
\"I guess Golkar can no longer act like a spoiled child. We are
\nbeing excessively assaulted from various directions. Now we are
\nplaying by the rules,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Baramuli has been widely reported to have engaged in premature
\nparty campaigning across the country.<\/p>\n
Also on Monday, Danish Ambassador to Indonesia Michael
\nSternberg handed over 10,400 ballot boxes to Rudini.<\/p>\n
\"We want to prove our solidarity and support for the
\ndemocratization process in Indonesia,\" Sternberg told journalists
\nafter the ceremony.<\/p>\n
He said the transparent plastic boxes, worth US$150,000,
\nformed part of the US$1 million assistance pledged by the Danish
\ngovernment to Indonesia, along with the US$460,000 spent to
\nenable UNESCO to train 25 private radio stations in seven
\nprovinces on election reporting.<\/p>\n
Sternberg said his government also channeled US$150,000 to the
\nUnited Nations Development Program (UNDP).<\/p>\n
Rudini said the ballot boxes will be used in Bekasi district.<\/p>\n
* In Bandung, West Java, Rector's Forum, the independent
\nelection monitoring body, urged on Monday for poll watchers to be
\ngiven access to KPU's computer network.<\/p>\n
\"(Efforts to monitor the poll would be) useless if we cannot
\nexchange information and have full access to election affairs,\"
\nchairman Sudjana Sapi'ie said.<\/p>\n
* In Jakarta, the Independent Election Monitoring Committee
\n(KIPP) called on the police to probe the case of 1,000 missing
\nballot papers in North Jakarta.<\/p>\n
* In Denpasar, Bali, the Provincial Elections Committee (PPD
\nI) was reportedly encountering difficulties in setting up a
\ncampaign schedule because of the arrival of two new contesting
\nparties in the area, namely the Murba Party and Indonesian Muslim
\nAwakening Party (Kami Party). A total of 32 parties are now
\nregistered in Bali.<\/p>\n
* While in Palu, Central Sulawesi, PPD I decided each of the
\n38 political parties in the area will have four rounds of
\ncampaign.<\/p>\n
* In Jakarta, the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) said it would
\ndeploy 10,000 volunteers and 130 ambulances on polling day.<\/p>\n
* In Madura, the University Network for Free and Fair Election
\n(Unfrel) has opened a hotline to report poll rigging at 0324-
\n322541 or fax 0324-327418. (edt\/43\/38)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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