Election bill

Election bill
urgent

From Koran Tempo

The 2004 general elections are approaching, therefore proper
preparations are required, particularly in view of the completely
new system to be applied in Indonesia.

Meanwhile, we are concerned about the delay in the approval of
the election bill by the House of Representatives (DPR), as
mentioned by a member of the General Elections Commission (KPU),
Imam B. Prasojo. In fact, the election law serves as the basis of
KPU's operation, which involves the formation of election
committees in cities/regencies, voters' data collection,
information system application, etc.

We are convinced that the respectable members of the DPR
understand the complaint of the KPU, but the main constraint at
the moment is the short term interests of the political elite in
the legislative body, thus giving priority to the relevant
political groups instead of the nation and state.

What happens is a tug-of-war in the DPR because the
legislators struggle for the electoral system that most favors
the political party concerned. It is indeed ironical that the
nation's fate is in the hands of the elite who fail to execute
the will of the people. We should urge that the DPR speedily pass
the election bill and those hampering the process should not be
elected in the coming election.

ANDI BASSO
Manila