Govt urged to probe election violations

Govt urged to probe election violations

JAKARTA (JP): Eleven minority political parties on Saturday
called on the government to reevaluate serious violations
committed by major parties during the 1999 general election.

They said the alleged misappropriation of the Rp 35 billion
(US$3.6 million) fund of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) and
the $2 million donation from the Sultan of Brunei, which
allegedly involved President Abdurrahman Wahid, were not as
serious as violations and corruption cases in the past.

Edwin Henawan Soekowati, spokesman for the alliance of the
eleven minority parties, said the government and the Supreme
Court should set up an independent investigation team so that the
violations could be handled fairly.

"The data on thousands of violations has been handed over to
the Supreme Court but the latter declined to investigate them for
unclear reasons," he said in a discussion held by minority
parties on Saturday.

Edwin, also former member of the General Election Committee
(KPU), said the Golkar Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party
of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) committed most violations during the
elections.

"We agreed with the investigation into the two financial
scandals, but to be fair, all violations during the elections and
corruption cases during the New Order era should also be
investigated," he said.

He said continuing conflict among the political elite and
their grassroot supporters had something to do with injustices in
society.

"People in East Java can't accept the unfair treatment of
their influential figure (Abdurrahman), particularly while no
action is taken against supporters of the former New Order regime
who still play a substantial role in the bureaucracy and the
House of Representatives," Edwin said.

The minority parties were, among others, the National
Democratic Party (PND), the Indonesian Democratic Union Party
(PUDI), the Indonesian National Party Led by Supeni (PNI Supeni)
and the New Masyumi Party. (rms)