Heavy task prompts KPU to seek raise

Heavy task prompts KPU to seek raise

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The General Elections Commission (KPU) has proposed to the
government a salary rise for nine of its members due to their
workloads, a KPU senior official said.

KPU secretary-general Safder Yusacc refused to disclose any
figure for the proposed increase, but said that if the government
approved the proposal, the salary of each KPU member would not
exceed that of a House of Representatives legislator.

A House member receives Rp 18 million (US$2,143) in net
monthly salary, excluding allowances they receive for attending
commission or plenary meetings and for participating in a special
committee deliberating a bill. They also enjoy facilities such as
housing.

A KPU member earns Rp 12 million, plus a transport allowance,
housing and official car.

"The proposed salary increase is stipulated in the draft of
the government regulation on the financial rights of the KPU
chairman and members," Yusacc said.

But the government has returned the draft to the KPU to be
reviewed, according to Yusacc.

KPU chairman Nazaruddin Sjamsuddin said the demand for the
salary hike was acceptable.

"KPU members have a heavy workload and the KPU is the only
commission in the country which was established through the
amended 1945 Constitution," Nazaruddin said.

A source with the KPU said the commission had demanded Rp 31
million.

Earlier in the day, KPU announced that 15 political parties
had passed the administrative screening, with the United Regional
Party (PPD) and the Nationalist Marhaen Party (PNM) making it
just before the closing date.

The Nation Concerned Party (PKPB), the Reform Star Party
(PBR), the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKP Indonesia),
the Indonesian Union Party (PSI), the New Indonesia Alliance
Party (Partai PIB), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the
United Nationalist Democratic Party (PPDK), the Indonesian
Democratic Catholic Party (PKDI), the Prosperous Peace Party
(PDS), the Democratic Party, the Pioneer Party, the Indonesian
Nationalist Marhaen Party, and the Independence Party had earlier
advanced to the next round of examination.

KPU member Mulyana W. Kusumah, who is in charge of party
verification, said 29 other parties had to complete their
documents by Oct. 24 before KPU could examine them between Oct.
24 and Oct. 25.

Second phase screening will require the KPU to carry out
verification in the field to check the location and the
leadership of a party's branch office in at least 21 provinces
and two thirds of the regencies or municipalities in the
respective province.

The KPU will announce the parties eligible to contest the
election on Dec. 2.

The Indonesian Democratic Party for Struggle (PDI Perjuangan),
Golkar Party, the United Development Party (PPP), the National
Awakening Party (PKB), the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the
Crescent Star Party (PBB) have won an automatic place to contest
the 2004 general election as they have met the 2 percent
electoral threshold in the 1999 election as stipulated by the
election law.

Separately, Monopoly Watch led by Samuel Nitisaputra accused
the KPU of practicing collusion in the tender for ballot boxes
for selecting aluminum over a cheaper steel as material for the
boxes.

However, Mulyana said the choice had been made during a KPU
plenary session on Aug. 13 which concluded that the total cost to
produce and deliver the boxes made of aluminum would be cheaper.