PPP lobbies hard for electoral law reform bill<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): United Development Party (PPP) leaders met with
\ntheir House of Representatives counterparts from the Armed Forces
\nfaction yesterday to solicit support for its electoral law reform
\nbill.<\/p>\n
The Armed Forces (ABRI) was the first faction the PPP
\napproached to push its Bill on Initiative onto the agenda of the
\nHouse of Representatives.<\/p>\n
The PPP is forging ahead with its campaign to change the
\nelection regulations, even though most observers do not believe
\nthe bill has any chance of ever being debated in the House.<\/p>\n
Suparman Achmad, the ABRI faction chairman, said he would need
\nabout two weeks to study the bill before he announces ABRI's
\nofficial stand.<\/p>\n
\"We will seriously consider the bill,\" Suparman said as he
\nreceived the bill from PPP faction chairman Hamzah Haz in his
\ntiny office crammed with journalists.<\/p>\n
He said he personally thinks the existing electoral law does
\nnot need revising, but agreed that the implementation of the law
\ncould be improved.<\/p>\n
PPP leaders said they will approach the other two factions in
\nthe House, the ruling Golkar and the minority Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI), next week.<\/p>\n
The PPP must muster the support of at least 20 members from
\ntwo factions to have the bill debated in the House.<\/p>\n
Although most political observers have dismissed PPP's
\nchances, they said the move alone could win the party extra votes
\nin the 1997 general election.<\/p>\n
Golkar chief Harmoko has repeatedly said the existing
\nelectoral law is still relevant and that his political grouping
\nis not interested in discussing possible amendments.<\/p>\n
\"Who knows? Luck might be on our side, and they (Golkar) could
\nchange their minds,\" Hamzah told journalists yesterday.<\/p>\n
PDI politicians have been sympathetic to the PPP's initiative
\nfrom the outset, even though PPP refused them support when PDI
\nsought revision of the same law in the 1980s.<\/p>\n
Hamzah said the bill aims at making the electoral system fair
\nto all candidates and political parties contesting the polls.<\/p>\n
The bill seeks to revise the law to allow all contestants to
\nactively take part in the whole electoral process, from the
\nplanning stage to supervision, vote counting and evaluation.<\/p>\n
The proposed legislation seeks to end the President's monopoly
\non organizing elections, and give contestants a greater say in
\nthe way elections are administered.<\/p>\n
The PPP wants elections to be held on a holiday, or have the
\nelection day made a public holiday, to minimize the possibility
\nof people casting more than one ballot.<\/p>\n
Hamzah argued that other factions endorsing the bill will help
\neliminate the image that the House is the government's rubber
\nstamp.<\/p>\n
The House has not made a single law of its own in the last
\nthree decades, and all bills sponsored by the government have
\nbeen endorsed by the House.<\/p>\n
Hamzah said he hoped the ABRI would support the PPP bill, thus
\npaving the way for its deliberation.<\/p>\n
\"Remember, ABRI is regarded as the stabilizer of the nation's
\npolitics,\" he said. (pan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ppp-lobbies-hard-for-electoral-law-reform-bill-1447893297",
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