99 percent of the vote counted

Moch. N. Kurniawan, Jakarta

The General Elections Commission (KPU) has completed the manual ballot counting in 64 of the 69 electoral districts, with the Golkar Party continuing to dominate the House of Representatives with 117 seats.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) is coming second with 104 seats, followed by the Democratic Party with 55 seats, the United Development Party (PPP) with 54 and the National Awakening Party (PKB) with 50.

The extent of Golkar's might became evident on Friday, when tallies showed it had garnered at least 97 seats, two seats ahead of PDI-P's 95, with votes from 55 electoral districts already counted.

Golkar led the tally in at least 22 electoral districts, most of them located outside Java. Golkar lost the 1999 elections to PDI-P.

Among Golkar's strongholds are South Sulawesi's two electoral districts, where it collected five seats, East Nusa Tenggara's (NTT) two electoral districts with three seats, Central Sulawesi electoral district, Gorontalo electoral district, Kalimantan's four electoral districts, Riau electoral district and Jambi electoral district.

Golkar also had a strong showing in West Java electoral district 2 of Bandung, West Java electoral district 3, West Java electoral districts 4 and 6.

Ruling PDI-P, however, overpowered Golkar in at least 18 electoral districts, including Bali, West Java electoral district 7, Central Java districts 1 to 10, Yogyakarta, East Java 1, 5, 6, 8 and 9.

The National Awakening Party (PKB), the Democratic Party and the United Development Party (PPP) fought neck-to-neck for third position in the House composition.

As of Saturday evening, PPP had garnered 54 seats in the House, up from 46 on Friday, compared to PKB's 50 and the Democratic's 55 seats.

PKB's strongholds were in 10 electoral districts in East Java, and some electoral districts in Central Java.

The Democratic Party and PPP relatively managed to obtain at least one seat from each electoral district.

The Democratic has so far secured only two seats from Jakarta electoral district 1 and West Java 5, while PPP secured seats from West Java 3, 4 and 10, Central Java 2 and South Kalimantan.

The National Mandate Party (PAN) and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) will have to be content with ranking sixth and seventh respectively.

Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra's party, the Crescent Star Party (PBB), failed to make a dent to increase its votes. The PBB, the Reform Star Party (PBR) and the Prosperous Peace Party (PDS) have so far only won eight seats each.

The Concern for the Nation Functional Party (PKPB), the Freedom Bull National Party (PNBK), the United Democratic Nationhood Party (PPDK), the Indonesian Democratic Vanguard Party (PPDI) and the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI) are likely to end up with only between one and two seats.

Some political parties -- the Pioneers' Party, the Social Democratic Labor Party (PBSD), Pancasila Patriots' Party, Marhaenisme Indonesian National Party (PNI Marhaenisme), Regional United Party (PPD), Freedom Party, the Indonesian Unity Party (PSI) -- may miss out on House seats altogether.

Meanwhile, KPU member Mulyana W. Kusumah said on Saturday that the commission would announce the results of the April 5 legislative election by May 5 at the latest.

He added that the commission would finish manually counting the votes for the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) on May 3.

Law No. 12/2003 on general elections stipulates that election results must be announced 30 days at the latest after the elections, meaning the result of the April 5 legislative election should be announced by May 5.

"All the results of the legislative elections will be announced on Wednesday at 10 a.m.," said Mulyana.

"As for the presidential election, it is scheduled for July 5 but the registration period has been postponed from May 1 through May 7 to May 6 to 12," he added.

The KPU had to postpone registration for presidential and vice presidential candidates as parties have to wait for the final results of the legislative elections.