13 parties may be unable to contest 2004 elections

13 parties may be unable to contest 2004 elections

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

At least 13 political parties look destined to miss next year's
elections as they have failed to meet the minimum requirement of
having a board of executives in 21 provinces.

The factual verification now under way on 40 parties
registered with the General Elections Commission (KPU) has
discovered that the Bhinneka Indonesia Party (PBI), the Nation
Unifying Party (PPB), the Unity Democratic Party (PDB), the
Indonesian Democratic Catholic Party (PKDI), the Great Marhaen
National Party, the Welfare Mandate Party (PAS), the Indonesian
Democratic National Christian Party, the Gotong Royong Party, the
Reform Party, the Republic Indonesia Unity Party (PKRI), the 1945
Indonesian Christian Party, the Indonesian Nationalist Unifying
Party (PPNI) and PNIBK 1927 are unable to meet the minimum
prerequisite.

The KPU completed verification of parties in the provinces of
Bali, Lampung, South Sulawesi, East Kalimantan, Yogyakarta, South
Sumatra, Bengkulu, Gorontalo and East Nusa Tenggara on Friday.

The provisional results showed that three of 23 PBI provincial
chapters being verified by the KPU did not qualify, meaning that
although the party passed the verification in the remaining
provinces, it would be disqualified anyway.

So did the Gotong Royong Party, which is led by former cabinet
minister Mien Sugandhi. It did not pass the factual verification
in three provinces -- Yogyakarta, Bali and Lampung -- of 21
being screened.

The factual verification is the final test for political
parties bidding to contest the 2004 elections, after the earlier
administrative screening conducted by the KPU last month.

During the factual verification the KPU determines the number
of provincial chapters to be examined based on the documentation
a party has submitted to the commission. In the case of PBI, the
KPU shortlisted 23 of 27 provincial chapters the party had
proposed.

Based on Law No. 12/2003 on general elections, a political
party can contest elections if its presence is recognized by the
Ministry of Justice and Human Rights and has a board of
executives in at least two-thirds of the country's 32 provinces.

The law also requires the party to have a board of executives
in at least two-thirds of the total regencies or municipalities
in 21 provinces, have at least 1,000 registered members or one
per square mile in a regency or municipality, have a permanent
office and submit its name and symbol to the KPU.

PBI executives admitted the party had failed to pass the
factual screening in Yogyakarta, but were uncertain about the
results of the screening in other provinces.

KPU member Anas Urbaningrum said the commission would strictly
uphold the election regulations.

"We shall follow what the law says. However, we will be
careful in determining what parties will miss next year's
elections. If we find dubious data we shall recheck with related
provincial election commissions," he said.

According to the election law, only six parties have assured
themselves of places in next year's elections, as they meet the 2
percent electoral threshold in the 1999 election.

The qualifiers are President Megawati Soekarnoputri's
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, the Golkar Party, Vice
President Hamzah Haz' United Development Party, the National
Awakening Party, the National Mandate Party and the Crescent Star
Party.

KPU is slated to announce parties eligible to contest the 2004
elections in stages, between Dec. 2 and Dec. 7.

Indonesia will hold an election of legislative members on
April 5, 2004, and the presidential election on July 5, with a
run-off on Sept. 20.