After Independent, now Objective poll watchdog founded

JAKARTA (JP): As controversy over the Independent Election Monitoring Committee (KIPP) grows, nine activists have decided to jump on the bandwagon and found a similar poll watchdog called the Objective Team for Election (TOPP).

Ruhut Sitompul, a leading member of the politically well- connected Pemuda Pancasila youth organization announced the establishment of the new monitoring group yesterday.

"We are moved to establish TOPP to help people get what they expect from the general elections," Ruhut said.

The team's founders include Kristiya Kartika, former chairman of a nationalist student movement, Suryo Susilo, who chairs an association of young entrepreneurs, and Petrus Bala Pattyona, a lawyer who defended suspects in a gang-rape case last year. There are also leading members of an influential organization of children of Armed Forces members, as well as a young soothsayer from Banten, West Java.

The other poll body, the Independent Election Monitoring Committee, was established on March 15 by 50 prominent intellectuals, lawyers, activists and journalists as a means for reporting any malpractice in the run-up to the 1997 general elections.

So far, the first poll body has received mixed reactions from government and military officials. Armed Forces Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung has pointed out that the military does not recognize it, while Army Chief of Staff Gen. R. Hartono said he did not observe any problems with the watchdog's activities.

Indonesia has an official body in charge of supervising and monitoring the general elections held every five years. The Election Supervision Committee is headed by Attorney General Singgih.

Despite the fact that most of the founding members are also members of the ruling political organization, Golkar, Ruhut said that his poll watchdog will be independent.

"This isn't an effort by Golkar to counter KIPP," he said. "We'll keep our distance from the three political contestants, PPP, Golkar and PDI, so that our work will truly be objective."

Golkar and the two minority political parties, the Moslem- based United Development Party (PPP) and the nationalist Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), will compete next year for the 425 seats in the 500-seat House of Representatives (DPR). The remaining 75 seats will be filled by the military, down from 100 at present.

The DPR, together with 500 government-appointed members, make up the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), which elects Indonesia's president.

Meanwhile, comments are still pouring in on the monitoring role that the independent poll watchdogs will play in the general elections.

Leaders of the Nahdlatul Ulama Moslem organization have called on the government to interpret the appearance of independent poll bodies as signs of a growing demand for transparency in the general elections.

"They are signs that people are demanding law and justice," Hasyim Muzadi, one of the ulemas, said.

Head of the Central Sulawesi Prosecutor's Office, Marjono, was quoted by Antara as saying yesterday that such independent poll bodies can be legally prosecuted. Their activities can be considered as violations of the existing legal procedures, Marjono said.

"They could be considered as disturbing public order, which is a crime," he said. (swe)