DPD aspirants committed fraud: Panwaslu
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Several regional Election Supervisory Committees (Panwaslu) have alleged that certain Regional Representatives Council (DPD) aspirants who passed the screening process had committed fraud to gain support for their candidacy.
Panwaslu Central Java head Nur Hidayat Sardini said on Wednesday that Siti Fatimah, one of 55 DPD candidates from that province, had falsified the identification (ID) cards of purported supporters and bribed others with gifts.
"Siti's case is being tried at the Semarang District Court. I am optimistic we will win, as we have a strong case," Nur told The Jakarta Post.
He, however, concurred that the trial would not affect Siti's candidacy until the court found her guilty of violating the Elections Law.
A DPD candidate must have the endorsement of between 1,000 and 5,000 people for their nomination, depending on the province's population, submitting copies of their supporters' ID cards as proof of endorsement. They must also have resided at least three consecutive years in their representative province or ten years after the age of 17.
Separately, Panwaslu Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam chairman Zuhri Hasibuan said eight of 27 DPD candidates from Aceh had also committed violations.
"Six violations were committed in Southeast Aceh, one in Aceh Singkil and one in Central Aceh," he was quoted by Antara as saying, but declined to mention any names for ethical reasons.
The eight candidates, according to Zuhri, had submitted fake ID cards and/or copied ID cards of other people without their consent.
He said the Panwaslu Aceh would gather more evidence before filing formal complaints against the eight with the police.
In Makassar, Panwaslu South Sulawesi chairman Aswanto said his office would report the South Sulawesi Elections Commission (KPUD) to police if it approved three candidates -- former state minister of state enterprises Tanri Abeng, former State Logistics Agency head Beddu Amang and former Golkar legislator Arnold A. Baramuli.
Aswanto said the residential statuses of the three were not verified. Tanri, for example, has been living outside South Sulawesi for many years.
"We will not hesitate to report the South Sulawesi KPUD if the commission approves the three candidates to contest next year's elections," he said.
He said there were indications that the KPU and the South Sulawesi KPUD were reluctant to drop the three from the list of South Sulawesi DPD candidates.
"The South Sulawesi KPUD once said it had no authority to decide the fate of the three aspirants, only the KPU at the national level (did). But the KPU returned the case to the South Sulawesi KPUD, saying the case should be resolved by them," he said, referring to the General Elections Commission (KPU).
Meanwhile, KPU deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti said the commission had issued an instruction that made it mandatory for all political parties to submit their audited annual report by July.
"In March, all political parties must have submitted their annual reports to public accountants, who will audit the annual reports and return it to the parties by June at the latest. So we will receive the parties' report in July," Ramlan said.
A party's national executive board must provide a consolidated financial report covering its provincial executive boards, as well as the executive boards at subdistrict and regental levels.
The KPU instruction specifies the reporting period as beginning on the date of the party's official registration with the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights and ending on Dec. 31, 2003.
In addition, all parties must submit their electoral campaign bank accounts to the KPU by Dec. 15, along with a list of their campaign contributors.
The instruction, however, does not impose any punishment on parties that fail to submit their campaign bank account by the deadline.