All KPU members threaten to quit if election bill passed
All KPU members threaten to quit if election bill passed
Muhammad Nafik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
All 11 members of the General Elections Commission (KPU) have
threatened to resign en masse if the House of Representatives
passes a new election bill that would effectively undermine the
commission's independence.
Commission deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti warned on Thursday
that commission members would resign in protest if the bill,
which furnishes the government with control over the commission,
were passed.
"We'd fight first. If it is futile, we will take a firmer
stance (resignation)," he stated, while two political bills --
one on elections and the other on political parties -- were being
deliberated at the House.
Many believe that under the bill on elections currently being
deliberated at the House, the commission would be liable to
government intervention, as the commission, in its work, would be
"assisted" by a secretariat-general that would function under the
auspices by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The secretary-general and deputy would be civil servants
appointed and dismissed by the president based on proposals by
the minister of home affairs.
The secretariat-general would also have unbridled authority as
it would determine the commission's organizational structure and
working mechanism.
It will also manage the commission's finances and budget.
The secretariat-general will also control data and information
related to the electoral process, including ballot tabulation.
Ramlan had no reservations about the possible outcome of such
a bill.
"There's potential for manipulation and corruption in the 2004
general election if KPU has no authority to control its
secretariat-general," Ramlan said.
A plethora of alleged electoral fraud from the 1999 general
election still remains unresolved.
Much of this had been due to the fact the previous commission
was comprised of individuals and party representatives, who
themselves took part in the electoral process.
Despite various objections, including from non-governmental
organizations, the bill received support from senior Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and Golkar Party
legislators.
PDI Perjuangan's Agustin Teras Narang even challenged
commission members to make good on their resignation threat.
Golkar's Yahya Zaini further argued that despite the fact that
the secretariat-general was structurally tied to the bureaucracy,
the commission could still serve as an independent poll
organizer.
The General Elections Commission will present its own revision
to the two bills at a hearing with House Commission II on legal
and home affairs on July 11, which is chaired by Teras.
Ramlan insists that full independence is an "absolute
prerequisite to fair and accountable elections," and this means
having full authority over its offices and staff, including the
secretariat-general.
He proposed that the commission set up its own secretariat-
general, free of government control.
Commission members were selected last year by the House after
a presidential proposal to replace the previous commission, which
comprised representatives from 48 parties and five government
appointees.