Elections body should be dismissed: Buyung

JAKARTA (JP): General Elections Commission (KPU) deputy chairman Adnan Buyung Nasution called for dismissal of the commission on Thursday for failing to meet the deadline to ratify the June 7 election results and amid graft allegations.

"We cannot expect the elections commission to complete its tasks to ratify the poll results anymore," he said in an informal meeting with Minister of Justice Muladi and chairwoman of the House of Representatives Commission I on political, security and legal affairs Aisyah Aminy.

He expressed disappointment over the actions of 27 minor parties which refused to sign the official poll report and the certificate of tabulated results, which were presented before a commission plenary meeting on Monday.

Surrounded by journalists, the three government officials met on the sidelines of the House plenary session discussing the draft law on the judiciary.

"Most KPU members do not have credibility as they only think of their personal interests," he said as quoted by Antara.

The commission has been battered by allegations of the involvement of members in graft totaling billions of rupiah for the awarding of contracts for ballot sheet printing. Sources at the commission said a report detailing the alleged corruption was submitted to the commission's secretary-general but no action has been taken.

Buyung suggested that an independent team, consisting of nongovernment and nonparty members, take over the KPU's responsibility to complete its duties.

"It will be great if the Team of 11, which screened the political parties contesting the June 7 elections, could take over the KPU's duties," he said.

The team, led by Muslim scholar Nurcholish Madjid, was established early this year. It verified all political parties eligible to contest the elections, ratified the number of the parties contesting the polls and set up guidelines for the election commission.

Buyung said he would resign from the commission after the Elections Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu), which was granted the authority to verify all complaints of election irregularities, completed its duties.

Muladi applauded Buyung's stance.

"I really respect and support his opinion. It's such a sporting and gentlemanly attitude."

He said he agreed with Buyung's recommendation that the KPU be dismissed for failing to complete its tasks.

Asked whether President B.J. Habibie would dismiss the KPU, Muladi said the President would only make decisions in compliance with laws and regulations.

"If President Habibie dismisses the KPU, he will be charged as authoritarian and violating the procedures."

He hoped the 27 political parties would change their minds and sign the official poll report forthwith.

"Do not be egotistical! Please remember that the political parties which have signed the poll report secured many more votes than those refusing to sign," he said.

Aisyah suggested that representatives of the 27 parties should resign, saying they were ruining the image of the elections.

"We all know that there are still weaknesses found in the June 7 elections," she said.

"However, it should not make them disregard the poll results, as all complaints will be treated appropriately."

Sign

KPU chairman Rudini said on Thursday that the 27 parties would be willing to sign the poll report if the government could guarantee that it would follow-up on their complaints.

"They are afraid that all their complaints of election irregularities will be forgotten, as happened in past elections," said Rudini, whose MKGR party was one of the parties which refused to sign the report.

Meanwhile, Panwaslu deputy chairman Todung Mulya Lubis said on Thursday that 12 of the 27 political parties met the deadline set by the supervisory committee to report complaints.

"Panwaslu, therefore, will only examine the complaints submitted by the 12 political parties, and annul those aired by the other 14 parties," he told The Jakarta Post by phone.

He said the 12 parties submitted their complaints before the 5 p.m. deadline on Thursday.

He identified the 12 parties as the Murba Party, National Democrats Party (PND), Abul Yatama Party, Indonesian Democrats Alliance Party (PADI), Independent National Party (PKM), All- Indonesian Workers Solidarity Party (PSPSI), New Indonesia Party (PIB), MKGR Party, Suni Party, the Indonesian Unity in Diversity Party (PBI), Justice Party (PK) and the Indonesian People's Party (PARI). (rms/imn)