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)