Elections commission on learning curve

Elections commission on learning curve

JAKARTA (JP): The 20-day-old, 53-member General Elections
Commission (KPU) is learning-by-doing as it attempts to foster
democracy through the implementation of a free and fair general
election this year.

Great expectations have been placed on the commission,
assigned to pave the way for free and fair polls. Led by former
minister of home affairs Gen. (ret) Rudini, its decisions have
either been hailed or criticized by the public and government
officials.

Its most controversial decision was last week's ruling barring
government officials, including ministers, from campaigning for
parties contesting the polls.

The commission, whose members comprise five government
representatives and representatives of the 48 political parties
contesting the June 7 general election, was officially
established on March 10 to replace the disbanded general
elections institution.

The commission is the first of its kind in the country. Some
critics contend the government's draft bill on elections was more
democratic regarding the membership of the commission. In the
draft bill, civilian representatives not connected to political
parties were to be included on the commission. However, the House
of Representatives decided against this.

House members said it would be difficult to reach an agreement
on who was representative of Indonesia's millions of citizens.

Controversy first hit the KPU when two of its members refused
to be sworn in by President B.J. Habibie, who is legally in
charge of the general election, at Bina Graha presidential office
on March 11.

The two, Sri Bintang Pamungkas, the representative of the
Indonesian Unidemocracy Party (PUDI), and Bambang Sulistomo, the
representative of the Indonesian Democrat Alliance Party, said
Habibie did not have the authority to swear them in.

"Our own parties ordered us to join the elections commission
and we have no obligation to show our loyalty to the President,"
said Bintang.

The following day, Bambang, under pressures from his party,
was installed by Rudini, while Bintang has maintained his stance.

Adnan Buyung Nasution, a government representative on the
commission, said Bintang, who is known as a reform figure and
democrat, should accept being sworn in to show his strong
commitment to develop and uphold democracy in the country.

"I fear the public will question all decisions made by the
commission because of Bintang's refusal to be sworn in."

Plenary

More trouble in the commission arose over a clause in the law
on general elections regarding votes in the commission. The law
stipulates the commission's five government representatives have
a balanced vote with the party representatives.

In the commission's first meeting, the seemingly simple
decision of electing a chairperson of the plenary session was
deliberated for three hours, with the main debate being whether
the government representatives' balanced vote applied to the
election of a chairperson.

A further debate was held among the 48 party representatives
to decide who among them was representative to chair the plenary
session.

A commission member who asked for anonymity blamed party
representatives' uncompromising attitudes for the difficulty in
reaching a decision on who would chair the plenary session.

"Several party representatives feel they have become great
politicians because of their presence on the commission, while
several others are greenhorns in politics," the source said.

Jacob Tobing, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle's
(PDI Perjuangan) representative on the commission, called on all
members to start learning about democracy following 32-years of
authoritarian rule under former president Soeharto.

"Most members are unfamiliar with democracy after the nation
was ruled by a repressive regime for more than 30 years. Now we
have to start learning about democracy."

The commission again came into the spotlight when it was
revealed several members proposed a monthly salary for commission
members of Rp 10 million.

Afan Gaffar, another government representative on the
commission, said the proposed Rp 10 million monthly salary was
rejected in the plenary session.

He said commission members' monthly salaries had not yet been
decided.

Criticisms aimed at the "greed" of the commission's party
representatives have accused them of "eating from two plates
simultaneously".

A debate on the commission's credibility also was raised when
the commission ruled its members could campaign and nominate
themselves as legislative candidates. This raised accusations of
double standards after the commission banned ministers from
campaigning.

Ramlan Surbakti, a political lecturer at Airlangga University
in Surabaya, said KPU members should concentrate on organizing a
free and fair general election.

"KPU members should realize they will be employed and paid for
five years and they will be given the use of cars. They should
not demand more than that."

Ramlan also said the elections commission had lost its
legitimacy following its controversial ruling allowing its
members to campaign and nominate themselves as legislative
candidates, while banning government officials from campaigning.

Commission chairman Rudini defended the commission's rulings,
saying the rule allowing its members to campaign was a "political
decision", while the KPU had the authority to bar government
officials, including ministers, from campaigning. (rms)