Govt opts for joint electoral system
JAKARTA (JP): The government stood its ground during the deliberation of its three political bills on Wednesday, insisting that next year's general election use a combination of district and proportional representation systems.
Represented by Minister of Home Affairs Lt. Gen. Syarwan Hamid in a hearing with the House of Representatives, the government insisted that it wanted the Armed Forces (ABRI) to stay in the legislature.
The government also dismissed suggestions that it should be excluded from the National Elections Committee and the Indonesian Electoral Committee in order to ensure an independent poll.
Syarwan argued the government was completely ready to prepare for the "May or June poll". Besides, he said, the proposed "independent" National Elections Committee (KPU) need not wait until January (when the bills are expected to be passed into law) to launch the election's preliminary stages.
"Actually, the preparations for the poll have started," Syarwan said, but did not elaborate.
The election -- planned by both President B.J. Habibie's government and the House to be held either in May or June -- will involve the participation of many new parties. It is also expected to introduce greater democratization after 32 years of "Soehartoesque democracy", when elections were often rigged in favor of the dominant Golkar grouping -- which was supported by the powerful Armed Forces (ABRI) and the bureaucracy.
Political scientists and non-Golkar legislators have raised doubts about the government's proposed electoral system. Some have said the system was designed to give Golkar -- with its well-established chapters and branches across the country -- a head start.
Critics have proposed that the existing proportional representation system be retained but with a thorough overhaul. They also suggested that the government's involvement in the organizing of the poll be ended.
According to the bills, next year's poll is expected to elect 495 House members -- with 428 elected through the district system (215 for Java and Bali, 213 for the rest of the country) and 67 through a proportional system.
Syarwan argued the number 428 reflected a "very fair result considering the balance of population and regions".
"So, establishing the lines of electoral districts will only be done within a regency, and not beyond that. From the 1998 (national) regency population data, if the quota for an electoral district is 600,000 people, there will be 24 regencies that will need to have more than two districts," he said.
Syarwan did not name the 24 regencies.
Syarwan also expressed on Wednesday the government's intention to retain 55 House seats for ABRI, claiming it was "the national consensus".
The 550 House members will also be members of the 700-strong People's Consultative Assembly (MPR). The remaining 150 appointed members will be regional representatives (81) and social groups' representatives (69).
The United Development Party (PPP) faction has criticized the plan because the 81 regional representatives will be hand-picked by the regional legislative councils elected in the 1997 general election during Soeharto's regime.
"Don't exaggerate, please," Syarwan said in his response on Wednesday.
He argued that if Golkar lost the election, the regional legislatures would not dare pick "Golkar people" to be sent as regional representatives to the House.
In the hearing presided over by Hari Sabarno of the Armed Forces faction, Syarwan said the government had taken steps to ensure a free and fair poll.
The House on Wednesday established an 87-strong special committee to deliberate the bills in detail. They will resume the reading of the documents after the special session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) on Nov. 10 to Nov. 13. (aan)