TNI members, police may be allowed to vote<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Akbar
\nTandjung suggested here on Thursday returning the right to vote
\nto members of the Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police
\nshould the country adopt a direct presidential election system.<\/p>\n
Speaking on the sidelines of seminar on the prospects and
\nchallenges of direct presidential elections, Akbar said under
\nsuch a system all Indonesian citizens, without exception, should
\nbe allowed to vote for the president.<\/p>\n
\"All Indonesian citizens, including the TNI and National
\nPolice are allowed to vote....to use their right to vote,\" he
\ntold reporters.<\/p>\n
Akbar underlined that the TNI and National Police must be
\nallowed to execute their political rights because they will no
\nlonger be allocated seats in the House.<\/p>\n
\"It is time for us to push the military to be a proportional
\ninstitution to maintain national security and allow them to
\npractice their right to vote,\" he added.<\/p>\n
TNI and National Police were allowed to vote in the first
\ngeneral election in 1955 but since then have not participated in
\nthe election process.<\/p>\n
It was feared in the past that their active participation and
\nloyalty towards a particular electoral candidate could help sway
\nthe balance of the election disproportionately.<\/p>\n
To compensate, they were allocated seats in the House. They
\nare currently allotted 38 seats.<\/p>\n
But it has already been agreed that the TNI\/Police will no
\nlonger be accorded seats in the House after the next election.<\/p>\n
MPR<\/p>\n
An ad hoc People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) committee is
\ncurrently debating changes in the presidential election system.<\/p>\n
Seven of the 10 Assembly factions have already expressed
\nsupport for a direct presidential election that would replace the
\ncurrent system in which the Assembly elects the president and
\nvice president.<\/p>\n
Akbar, who is chairman of Golkar Party, also said that if a
\ndirect presidential election system is adopted there should be a
\nserious evaluation of the need for an institution like the
\nAssembly.<\/p>\n
\"The authority of the MPR will decrease greatly with the
\nadvent of a direct presidential election process,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"MPR would only have authority on constitutional matters. The
\npresident's accountability would be directly to the people,\"
\nadded Akbar who's party is one of the strongest advocates of a
\ndirect presidential election system.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile National Awakening Party (PKB) chairman Matori Abdul
\nDjalil suggested a mechanism be developed to accommodate
\nindependent presidential candidates not affiliated with a
\npolitical party.<\/p>\n
\"I think it is good to have independent candidates. We have to
\nthink of the best possible mechanism to accommodate the idea,\"
\nMatori said, adding that his party will also support the direct
\npresidential election system.<\/p>\n
President Abdurrahman Wahid stated in his opening speech at
\nthe seminar full support for direct presidential elections.<\/p>\n
But separately, Gadjah Mada University political observer
\nPratikno warned against the hasty implementation of the plan,
\nsaying it could provoke national disintegration.<\/p>\n
\"It could be used by people outside Java island to ask for
\nfreedom if their candidates fail to get elected,\" Pratikno said.<\/p>\n
He said direct presidential elections are the most democratic
\nway, but that it would be better if the system was applied after
\n2004 when the people have more time to accept the idea and the
\nspirit of regionalism has subsided. (dja\/44)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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