Public can check polls: Soeharto<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto guaranteed here yesterday
\nthat the public had the right to monitor the implementation of
\nnext year's general election, adding that when it found
\nirregularities it could report them to the supervision department
\nof the general election committee.<\/p>\n
The presidential statement, made on receiving a delegation of
\nthe leaders of Kosgoro, an organization affiliated to the ruling
\npolitical grouping, Golkar, came amid debate on the legality of
\nthe recently establishment of the Independent Election Monitoring
\nCommittee, popularly known by its Indonesian acronym KIPP.<\/p>\n
Kosgoro chairman Bambang Soeharto told newsmen after the
\nmeeting with the President that Soeharto also welcomed Kosgoro's
\nintention to monitor the general election.<\/p>\n
"The President happily greeted the intention of Kosgoro
\nmembers to not only use their right to vote, but also take part
\nin monitoring," said the chairman of the Kosgoro's collective
\ncentral board, Bambang Suharto.<\/p>\n
"If you find any irregularities in the implementation of the
\ngeneral election take notes and report these cases to the
\nsupervision department of the election committee," Bambang quoted
\nSoeharto as telling assembled Kosgoro leaders.<\/p>\n
When asked whether KIPP was discussed during the meeting,
\nBambang quickly said that it did not figure in their discussion.<\/p>\n
When pressed further to state Kosgoro's own position on KIPP,
\nBambang skirted the issue by saying: "I believe we do not have a
\nright to recognize or not to recognize it."<\/p>\n
"But we aren't really concerned with it," he said, adding that
\nas long as it didn't break the law there was really nothing
\nwrong.<\/p>\n
KIPP was created last month as an independent election
\nwatchdog. The general election committee has its own supervision
\ndepartment.<\/p>\n
KIPP's board members include several vocal government critics
\nand human rights activists.<\/p>\n
They include Goenawan Mohamad, former chief editor of the now-
\ndefunct Tempo magazine, Sri Bintang Pamungkas, a former
\nlegislator of the United Development Party (PPP), who last year
\nwas recalled from the House of Representatives by his party and
\nis under trial for allegedly defaming the president, Nurcholish
\nMadjid, a noted Moslem scholar, and Luhut Pangaribuan of the
\nLegal Aid Foundation.<\/p>\n
Government officials have been cautious in their reaction to
\nKIPP, with very few expressing direct support and recognition of
\nKIPP.<\/p>\n
Armed Forces Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung categorically said
\nlast week the military would not recognize KIPP. He said that
\nevery citizen has the right to monitor the election but said that
\nKIPP's existence is at odds congruent with current laws.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile Minister of Transmigration Siswono Yudohusodo has
\nsaid that while there really is no need to formalize such an
\ninstitution, people do have a right to set up poll watchdogs such
\nas KIPP.<\/p>\n
The opposition Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) and the
\nUnited Development Party have also expressed their support for
\nKIPP.<\/p>\n
Bambang Suharto yesterday explained that Kosgoro's move to
\nhelp monitor the election would not be through the creation of
\nanother organization, but through the inherent right of every
\nvoter to oversee the implementation of the polls.<\/p>\n
"The President said that it would be a good idea if any flaws
\nor concerns during the election were found reported to the
\nsupervision department of the official election committee,"
\nBambang said.<\/p>\n
While affirming their intention to oversee a fair election,
\nBambang still asserted that Kosgoro would do everything in its
\npower to help make Golkar win in next year's election.<\/p>\n
"Every Kosgoro member must help Golkar win in the 1997
\nelection," he said.<\/p>\n
Separately PPP member Zein Badjeber said here yesterday that
\nhis party would not be "duped" by electoral fraud for the fifth
\ntime in a row, Antara news agency reported.<\/p>\n
He said PPP would begin monitoring the process starting from
\nscrutiny of voter registration which he said was a very crucial
\nperiod and filled with opportunities to perform fraudulence.<\/p>\n
He added that it would now also pay more attention to the
\ntransport of the results of the general election as they are
\npooled in the various districts.<\/p>\n
"In the past PPP has only had time to scrutinize the vote
\ncounting," Zein said. (mds)<\/p>",
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