Don't blame government for poor poll results: Yogie

JAKARTA (JP): The General Elections Committee called on the three parties yesterday to gracefully accept the poll results and refrain from blaming the government for poor showings.

"The Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) should not blame other people for its massive failure in the general election," committee chairman Moch. Yogie S.M. told reporters before a monthly cabinet meeting at the Bina Graha Presidential Office.

"They failed because of their internal problems," he said, referring to the party's protracted leadership rift which has polarized party faithful into supporting the government-backed chairman Soerjadi or the ousted chief, Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Yogie, also minister of home affairs, was commenting on the PDI's allegations of vote-rigging in the May 29 general election. Poor results may force the PDI to relinquish the 10 House of Representatives seats that it won on May 29.

The Election Supervision Committee's chairman, Singgih, urged the United Development Party (PPP) yesterday not to blame the government for the problems it encountered during campaigning and the election.

"Don't just accuse the government for the electoral violations. In South Sulawesi, we are still investigating election fraud by PPP officials," Singgih said.

Similar sentiment was also expressed by the General Elections Committee's deputy secretary-general, Sutoyo N.K. He said the government could not be held accountable for the PDI's poor showing.

"People are now more aware of, and more intelligent in exercising, their political rights," he said.

The Institute for Strategic Studies of Indonesia's chairman, Rudini, called on the PDI to endorse the poll results and follow the remaining stages of the general election because refusal to do so would tarnish Indonesia's image.

Rudini, a former minister of home affairs, said the PDI was free to protest alleged vote-rigging, but should put national unity and interests first.

"They can sue the government over vote-rigging allegations with evidence," he said.

He played down PDI's threat to relinquish its House seats, saying that this would not influence the House's decision making process. He said the PDI would only be sowing seeds of future trouble if it pulled out of the House.

Yogie reminded the PPP, Golkar and PDI that they had pledged to make the election a success.

Suryatna Subrata, the elections committee's secretary-general, also called on the PDI to continue to participate in the remaining stages of the general election -- namely the announcement of final poll results, and the installment of legislators in the House of Representatives.

"The election is not over on voting day. It continues until the general meeting of the People's Consultative Assembly," he said yesterday.

Sutoyo said the PDI could solve its problem of representation on the House's 11 commissions by having a legislator sit on more than one commission.

Yogie said the PDI's 10 House seats would not pose legal problems for the House.

"Personally I believe there is no problem with it, because there is a plenary session, and all decisions are based on unanimity through deliberation," Yogie said.

House rules, adopted in 1983, say that each of its 11 commissions must have representatives of three parties and the Armed Forces. The rules say that decision making requires signatures from at least two-thirds of House members.

When asked about the PDI's request for an election rerun, Suryatna said the elections committee would acquiesce if alleged vote-rigging proved to be true.

Sutoyo said a decision to rerun the general election should come from polling station coordinators.

But Yogie ruled out the possibility of an election rerun because there was "no strong reason" for it.

He said revoting was only warranted in 86 polling stations in Sampang regency because the ballot boxes had been burned during three days of unrest on Madura island.

"There will be no more poll repeating as there is no strong reason for it. It is just a waste of time," Yogie said.

Singgih reiterated the government's stance that revoting in Sampang was valid although the PPP did not provide any scrutineers. (06/imn/amd)