Few outsiders object to keeping PR polling system

JAKARTA (JP): Two of the largest political parties not represented in the House of Representatives (DPR) have expressed no objections to a plan to retain the proportional representation (PR) system in next year's election.

However, the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) Perjuangan and the People's Awakening Party (PKB) insisted on minimal government involvement in the administration and supervision of the polls.

PDI Perjuangan, which is led by Megawati Soekarnoputri, and PKB, a party under the Nahdlatul Ulama Islamic movement, are among newly formed political parties planning to contest the election under laws currently being deliberated by the DPR.

The two, along with the People's Mandate Party (PAN) led by Amien Rais, are expected to pose the greatest challenge to Golkar and the United Development Party (PPP) in the election. Given their immense support nationwide, they are not overly concerned about what electoral system is adopted.

The DPR special committee and the government agreed on Thursday that, in spite of the advantages of the district system, proportional representation would be retained because the nation is not yet ready to make the switch administratively.

The government, which drafted the election bill, had earlier proposed a system in which people vote for candidates in their respective districts rather than casting their votes for political parties as in the past.

When asked to comment on the move, Tarto Sudiro of the PDI Perjuangan and A. Muhaemin Iskandar of the PKB both said they believed that the question of election administration was more important -- a point not yet discussed by the DPR special committee.

"It would be better if the government is not involved in the administration of the polls," Muhaemin, who is the PKB's secretary-general, said.

The PDI Perjuangan's deputy secretary-general, Tarto, said the election committee should consist solely of representatives of the contesting political parties.

Both said the government's role in the election should be limited to allocating funds, providing electoral committees with facilities and guaranteeing security.

The public would become very suspicious of the government's intentions if it took an active role in the committee, they said.

Muhammad A.S. Hikam from the National Institute of Sciences (LIPI), took a similar line to the PDI and PKB, saying that it was not the system that mattered, but how the election was administered.

LIPI drafted an alternative election bill in which retention of the PR system was proposed. However, the government ignored LIPI's paper and drafted its own bill.

"The system is a less important issue than whether or not independent administration of the polls can be guaranteed ... it must be stated clearly in the bill that the government is to function solely as a facilitator," he said.

However, Hikam conceded that the district system was ideal and said that Indonesia should adopt it when the time is right.

Mulyana W. Kusumah from the Independent Election Monitoring Committee (KIPP) said he saw something else behind the DPR special committee's decision to back down from the district system.

"It shows conservatism on the part of the factions in the DPR," he said, referring to Golkar, the United Development Party (PPP) and the government-sanctioned PDI, which along with the Armed Forces (ABRI) are currently deliberating the political bills.

ABRI is already guaranteed seats in the DPR without having to contest the election. But the other three factions will have to contest the election against nearly 100 new parties that have been set up in the last six months.

Mulyana said he believed that the three established parties did not have enough candidates with the credibility and integrity to succeed in district elections.

"It is because they are not free from corruption, collusion and nepotism. The new political parties are in a much better position in this regard," he said.

Mulyana said Golkar, the PPP and the government-sanctioned PDI would not stand a chance under a district system.

He said he agreed with a government proposal to staff national and local election committees with representatives of the political parties and the government along with public figures.

The government has argued for the inclusion of well-known figures to make the committees more credible in the eyes of the public. However, the Golkar, PPP and ABRI factions in the House rejected the idea.

"Excluding public figures is tantamount to ruling against the participation of elements outside the political parties," Mulyana said.

He also suggested that the national and local election committees be given greater power to mediate in disputes that arise in the course of the campaign. (aan)