Flaws in draft electoral law sustain rampant corruption

Flaws in draft electoral law sustain rampant corruption

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Activists slammed the government and the House of Representatives
on Tuesday for their failure to set clear-cut and thorough rules
on contributions for political party campaigns, which they
claimed to have helped sustain rampant corruption practices.

The secretary-general of Transparency International-Indonesia,
Emmy Hafild, expressed her disappointment over the lack of
thorough regulations on campaign funding in the general election
bill.

"With such broad regulations on campaign funding in the
election bill, we can't expect a gradual decrease in corruption
practices in the country," Emmy told a discussion here.

The election bill is currently being deliberated in the House
of Representatives (DPR) by legislators and representatives of
government, especially those from the home ministry. The election
bill, along with bills on political parties and on the
composition of legislative bodies, is expected to serve as the
legal basis for fair and transparent general elections in 2004.

The bill stipulates that private and institutional donations
for political party campaigns must not exceed Rp 50 million and
Rp 500 million, respectively. However, the election bill does not
clearly define the term "campaign fund", the absence of which may
prompt manipulative and corrupt practices.

Speaking at the same discussion, Smita Notosusanto of the
Center for Electoral Reform (Cetro) hoped that lawmakers and the
government would provide a clear definition of "campaign fund" to
prevent corruption.

Meanwhile, Adhi Aman of the International Foundation for
Election Systems (IFES) suggested that the election bill
incorporate rules and limitations on sources of funding, as well
as on the allocation and distribution of funds for campaign
activities.

The bill, he said, should also require political parties to
establish an account for the campaign fund separate from the
party account, in order to control and keep track of
expenditures.

"All expenditures for political campaigns should be taken from
the campaign account," Adhi said.

In addition to the campaign fund, the election bill also
failed to include articles on other important issues, such as on
the use of state funds by officials during the campaign, the
format of financial reports from political parties and further,
the maximum amount of contributions to political parties. The
latter issue, however, may be included in the bill on political
parties.

Emmy Hafild noted that comprehensive regulations on political
contributions were badly needed to reduce corruption practices as
well as to create fairness among the various political parties,
whether they be opposition or ruling, rich or poor, or small or
big parties.

Also in regards the political parties bill, Smita said that
the government may continue to provide assistance to political
parties, but monetary assistance should not be provided so as to
discourage corruption.

Instead, Smita said the government could provide assistance in
the form of free services and facilities, such as free postal
services, free campaign programs on state television stations and
the provision of state financial auditors for auditing political
parties' books.

"If government subsidies are given in the form of services and
facilities, I think corruption would be reduced significantly,"
Smita said.