Don't blame government for poor poll results: Yogie

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)