Team begins task of deciding poll participants<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A team of respected and nonpartisan public
\nfigures under Muslim scholar Nurcholish Madjid began the arduous
\ntask on Wednesday of determining eligibility of more than 200 new
\npolitical parties for the June 7 general election.<\/p>\n
Established by the government, the 11-member team will work
\nuntil the formation of the National Election Commission, mandated
\nby the new electoral law endorsed by the House of Representatives
\nlast week.<\/p>\n
It is essentially starting the groundwork for the election
\nuntil the commission's establishment, expected on March 1.<\/p>\n
\"Our (chief) job is to observe and verify the political
\nparties, whether they have fulfilled the legal requirements to
\ncontest the election,\" Nurcholish told reporters after the team's
\ninaugural meeting at the office of the National Election
\nInstitute.<\/p>\n
He was accompanied by team members Miriam Budiardjo, a
\npolitical lecturer, former supreme court justice Adi Andojo,
\npolitical observers Andi A. Malarangeng and Eep Saefulloh Fatah
\nand student leader Rama Pratama.<\/p>\n
Business consultant Kastorius Sinaga and human rights activist
\nMulyana W. Kusumah left the venue immediately after the meeting.
\nThree other members -- human rights lawyer Adnan Buyung Nasution,
\npolitical scientist Afan Gaffar and student leader Anas
\nUrbaningrum -- did not attend.<\/p>\n
In addition to electing Nurcholish as team chairman, the
\nmeeting chose Adnan Buyung and Adi Andojo as deputy chairmen, and
\nAndi and Rama as secretaries.<\/p>\n
The government said the 11 were selected because of their
\nesteemed reputations and strong public credibility. The team will
\nhelp solicit widespread public support which the government needs
\nin preparing the election.<\/p>\n
The National Election Commission will comprise five government
\nofficials and a representative each from the political parties
\nqualified to contest the election.<\/p>\n
Although the new law does not limit the number of political
\nparties which can be established, it requires each to have
\nchapters in nine of the 27 provinces, with branch offices in at
\nleast 50 percent of the regencies of these provinces.<\/p>\n
Many political parties established after the end of the
\nSoeharto regime in May are unlikely meet the criteria, leading to
\ntheir automatic disqualification from the election.<\/p>\n
The three political parties recognized under Soeharto's regime
\n-- Golkar, the United Development Party (PPP) and the government-
\nsupported branch of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) -- are
\nexempt from the verification process.<\/p>\n
\"They are already stated as eligible parties by the law,\" Andi
\nMalarangeng said.<\/p>\n
Nurcholish said the team would evaluate claims by the new
\nparties of enough chapters and branches nationwide to qualify.
\n\"We will strive to give fair and objective assessments.\"<\/p>\n
Andi said the team would visit provinces and regencies to
\ncheck on the parties' networks. It will be assisted by non-
\ngovernmental organizations, student groups and local
\nadministrations.<\/p>\n
Although the new parties have registered with the Ministry of
\nHome Affairs, they are required under the new law to report to
\nthe Ministry of Justice starting on Thursday after they register
\nat a notary public.<\/p>\n
Register<\/p>\n
After meeting preliminary requirements, they can register with
\nthe National Election Institute starting on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Nurcholish's team will begin its verification work on Monday.<\/p>\n
Rama said the team's findings would be announced to the public
\nas soon as possible.<\/p>\n
The team is counting on parties merging in order to qualify to
\ncontest the election, he said. \"We've heard 82 parties plan to
\nform one. This would definitely ease our job.\"<\/p>\n
Separately, Minister of Education and Culture Juwono Sudarsono
\nappealed to university administrators to be careful and wise in
\ntheir plan to deploy students as election monitors.<\/p>\n
\"Do not sacrifice the students. Make sure they are safe.
\nProper and clear mechanism must be established,\" Juwono said
\nafter inaugurating rectors of several state universities at his
\noffice on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The forum of university rectors announced this week that it
\nwould recruit 450,000 students to be deployed at about 600,000
\npolling stations.<\/p>\n
Separately, Director General of Primary and Secondary
\nEducation Indra Djati Sidi urged political parties not to exploit
\nstudents and teachers in the election campaign.<\/p>\n
\"I know that it is everybody's right to take part in political
\nactivities... but I think it is not wise to manipulate the
\neducation system.\" He feared rallies could turn violent.<\/p>\n
\"Golkar used to do that in the past... turning students into
\npolitical pawns. Now we have to stop this practice, and stop
\nsacrificing our children,\" he said. (edt)<\/p>",
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