Elections body should be dismissed: Buyung

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)