Disqualification of cheating aspirants sought
Disqualification of cheating aspirants sought
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Prodemocracy activists are calling for disqualification of Regional Representatives Council (DPD) aspirants who submitted fake documents of support to the General Elections Commission (KPU), saying they had lost the moral right to sit in the House of Representatives (DPR).
They also urged the KPU to announce the names of DPD candidates who had tried to pass the DPD screening by submitting false identity (ID) cards or copies of ID cards without the consent of their owners.
"We must set a high standard of morality for our leaders, otherwise we should not choose them," Teten Masduki of the Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) said on Tuesday.
"The candidates must be publicly announced in the mass media so that the public will take note that they are not worthy of election," said Smita Notosusanto, executive director of the Center for Electoral Reform (Cetro).
Teten and Smita were commenting on the KPU's announcement last week that many DPD candidates across the country had submitted fake ID cards.
"Many of those candidates have fictitious documents or copies of ID cards without the consent of their owners," KPU member Mulyana W. Kusumah said last Friday.
According to KPU data released on Friday, all 73 DPD candidates registered in Jakarta had to rectify their documents, as well as 59 candidates in West Java, 61 in Banten, 41 in West Java, 27 in Central Sulawesi and 15 in Papua.
In the troubled province of Aceh, 11 of 27 DPD candidates must also rectify and resubmit their documents, as well as 35 of 69 candidates in Central Java and 27 of 34 in East Java.
Under the newly amended Constitution, the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), the highest legislative body, comprises the DPD and the House of Representatives (DPR). At least four DPD members will be elected from each of the country's 30 provinces.
In order to run in the election, an aspirant has to submit documents of support from local people, including thousands of copied ID cards, depending on the number of people the candidate wishes to represent.
According to Smita, announcing the names of those cheating aspirants was part of voter education, signaling that people should be very careful in choosing their representatives.
Under existing legislation those found to have submitted fake documents are still given a chance to improve and complete the necessary documents.
However, according to Teten, deceitful aspirants ought to be disqualified immediately from the DPD election before they became leaders of the country.
He said the aspirants' misconduct would become a bad precedent for their future leadership, as they might cheat the public at any time.
Mulyana said on Friday that although the candidates were allowed by the KPU to resubmit their documents, the Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) could investigate the candidates' action to determine whether or not they had committed crimes.
Panwaslu filed earlier at least eight police reports in several provinces over violations involving DPD candidates, who had allegedly committed wrongdoing in their efforts to woo popular support.
Panwaslu member Didi Supriyanto alleged late in October that some DPD candidates in Central Sulawesi and North Sulawesi had copied people's ID cards without their knowledge, in order to qualify for the legislative election.
The selection of aspirant regional representatives should be completed by the end of this month.
On Dec. 9, KPU will announce which aspirants are eligible to contest next year's election.
Indonesia will hold a legislative election on April 5 and two- stage presidential elections on July 5 and Sept. 20 respectively.