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.