President to decide if KPU rejects poll results<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The General Elections Commission (KPU) agreed on
\nThursday to let President B.J. Habibie have the final say if two-
\nthirds of the commission members decline to ratify the June 7
\nelection results.<\/p>\n
The decision was made on Thursday at the commission's plenary
\nmeeting presided over by chairman Rudini.<\/p>\n
"If rejected, the poll results will be delivered to President
\nHabibie. And it's up to the President to follow up the outcome,"
\nRudini said at the conclusion of the meeting.<\/p>\n
He was referring to the 1999 General Election Law, which says
\nthe commission will constitutionally render the responsibility to
\nthe President if it fails to validate the poll results.<\/p>\n
Article eight of the law stipulates that the President is
\nresponsible for the whole process of the elections. The KPU was
\nestablished under a presidential decree to administer the five-
\nyearly political event.<\/p>\n
Although Friday is its last day to prepare recommendations on
\nthe poll results, commission members, however, are still
\ndisputing the mechanism to ratify the results. The election
\nresults are slated for announcement on Monday.<\/p>\n
Several commission members disagreed with Government Decree
\nNo. 33\/1999 on Practical Guidelines for the General Election.
\nThey said the decree would annul and transfer the commission's
\nauthority to ratify the poll results to the official Election
\nSupervisory Committee (Panwaslu).<\/p>\n
Article 10 of the 1999 Electoral Law stipulates that the 53
\nmembers of the KPU have the authority to ratify and establish the
\npoll results, while the government decree rules that Panwaslu can
\nratify the results, despite rejection by two-thirds of the KPU
\nmembers.<\/p>\n
In its plenary meeting on Thursday, the commission also
\ndecided to issue a political statement regarding the lawfulness
\nof the decree, the content of which will be discussed on Friday.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Wednesday evening, a five-member KPU delegation met
\nwith Minister of Justice Muladi to discuss the historical
\nbackground to the establishment of the decree.<\/p>\n
Masiga Bugis, who led the KPU delegation to Muladi's
\nresidence, told Thursday's plenary meeting that the minister
\ndefended the legitimacy of the decree. Muladi said all related
\nparties, including representatives of the KPU, the Indonesian
\nElections Committee (PPI) and Panwaslu, were present at
\ndeliberations for the draft of the decree.<\/p>\n
"It's a KPU internal affair, not our problem, if it declines
\nto recognize the government decree," Bugis quoting Muladi as
\nsaying.<\/p>\n
Muladi's statement secured the support of Andi Mallarangeng, a
\ngovernment representative at the KPU, who said: "There are no
\nprocedural flaws in the decree's establishment."<\/p>\n
Some KPU members, however, challenged the deliberation
\nmechanism for the draft decree, saying they were unaware of the
\nprocess until the deadline for ratification of the election
\nresults approached.<\/p>\n
"We've never been informed about how the deliberation of the
\ndraft decree method happened, let alone the results," KPU member
\nEdwin Henawan Sukowati said.<\/p>\n
They also questioned KPU deputy chairman Adnan Buyung
\nNasution's presence at the drafting, saying he did not represent
\nthe interests of all KPU members.<\/p>\n
Rudini vow<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Rudini reconfirmed on Thursday he would resign from
\nthe KPU if it failed to ratify the poll results on Monday.<\/p>\n
"I'm a retired general. I'll never break my promise."<\/p>\n
Rudini first announced his plan at a KPU plenary meeting on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
He, however, agreed that his plan could serve as a stimulus
\nfor KPU members to work harder and complete the commission's
\nevaluation on the poll results before the Monday deadline. (imn)<\/p>",
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