DPD aspirants committed fraud: Panwaslu

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.