Govt vows to go ahead with current political bills

JAKARTA (JP): Despite public criticism, the government has pledged to press ahead with the political bills now being deliberated by the House of Representatives and will hold a general election next May, according to Minister of Home Affairs Syarwan Hamid.

Speaking on Tuesday, Syarwan said the government had no intention of drafting alternatives to the laws which have been the subject of criticism ever since their content was first announced. Newly-established political parties have denounced the draft legislation as unduly restrictive.

"If we had to revise the political bills again, it would be impossible (for the country) to hold a general election next May," he said after attending the opening ceremony of the Special Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

Almost all of the new political parties -- which number around 100 -- have said the political bills are undemocratic because of stipulations that make it difficult for them to contest general elections. They have urged the government to withdraw the bills, which number three in total, and allow them to draft replacements.

The draft law on political parties requires all parties to accept the Pancasila state ideology as their sole ideology. It also seeks to bar political parties from receiving foreign aid.

The draft law on general elections requires all political parties to collect the signatures of one million of their own supporters before they are eligible to contest the poll and candidates for legislators posts must collect at least 300,000 signatures from the district he/she wants to represent.

Syarwan expressed optimism that deliberation of the political bills would be completed in time and the general election would be held as scheduled.

"Deliberation of the political bills by the House and the government will continue after the Special Session and should be completed by mid January," he said, adding that the government had no intention of delaying the general election.

Syarwan reiterated the government's commitment to a fair general election in order to build a democratic government.

"The government will not interfere in the general election. It will facilitate the event, but won't have a presence on the election committee.

"Civil servants on the committee will only serve as administrative staff," he added.

The minister said he hoped the MPR would pass the draft decree on general elections to assure the public that a poll will be held next year as scheduled.

"The MPR should concentrate on the draft decree on general elections, which is the main item on the session's agenda," he said.

Despite the fact that the Assembly Working Committee has approved a decree on fair and just elections, a group of University of Indonesia students expressed skepticism that the session would pave the way for this to take place.

In a meeting with the dominant faction Golkar, the students said on Tuesday that it would be difficult for the ruling political organization to accept the same treatment as all the other parties contesting the elections after having enjoyed special privileges for three decades.

"If Golkar is committed to fairness and justice, it must break away from the bureaucracy," the spokesman for the student group, Ari Wibowo, told Golkar legislators. Golkar is known to depend on the Armed Forces and the bureaucracy for its political clout.

The students questioned Golkar's refusal to allow civil servants to decide their own political allegiance and to ask its top officials to resign from their ministerial posts.

"There are suspicions that Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung will benefit from his position as the Minister/State Secretary," said Ari.

Slamet Effendy Yusuf, one of five Golkar legislators who received the students, said the fact that some Golkar cadres hold top jobs in the bureaucracy would not hamper efforts to introduce greater democracy to the country.

"Let's consider the President's choice of Akbar Tandjung as the Minister/State Secretary. I guarantee that he never misuses government facilities while performing Golkar duties," Slamet said.

Another Golkar legislator, Ekky Syachrudin, said Golkar had pledged a complete break with the past and would from now on heed demands for reform.

Aisyah Amini, chairperson of House Commission I on home and foreign affairs, hinted at the establishment of an independent institution to watch over the general election under the provisions of the new law.

"It's a must that we have an independent institution to watch over the general election and that is stated in the draft law we will debate later this week."

The institution should include people from across the country's political spectrum, she added. (amd/emf/rms)