House backs Balinese, urges probe into fixed election

House backs Balinese, urges probe into fixed election

M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The House of Representatives strongly urged home minister Hari
Sabarno on Friday to heed the ruling by the Denpasar
Administrative Court that the swearing-in of governor-elect Dewa
Made Beratha be postponed until allegations of bribery during his
election were investigated.

House Deputy Speaker Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno of the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) said
that the police and the prosecutor's office in Bali should also
speed up the investigation into the case and to announce the
suspects, if any be found, as soon as possible.

"As a matter of fact, we (the House) intend to seek more
information on the allegations, and it is very fortunate that
concerned Balinese have presented us with evidence in the case,"
he told reporters after a meeting with Bali Corruption Watch
(BCW), Transparency International Indonesia (TI Indonesia) and
the Foundation for Press and Development Study (LSPP).

Also attending the meeting was his fellow House deputy
chairman from the Reform faction, A.M. Fatwa.

In response to the public outcry against widespread reports of
bribery during the gubernatorial election, the Denpasar
Administrative Court issued a directive on Aug. 15, urging the
central government to delay the inauguration of Beratha and Alit
Kusuma Kelakan as governor and deputy governor of the island
province for the 2003-2008 term.

With the backing of the PDI Perjuangan and party chairwoman
Megawati Sukarnoputri, Beratha clinched victory in the
gubernatorial election on Aug. 6, collecting 31 out of the 55
votes.

Two PDI Perjuangan councillors admitted that they were forced
by the party's central board to vote for Beratha, and were later
given Rp 150 million each.

The gubernatorial election sparked a torrent of protest and
criticism as Megawati, who chairs the PDI Perjuangan, supported
the incumbent governor and not candidates proposed by her party.
She cited security and stability reasons as she did when
supporting incumbent governors in Jakarta, Lampung, West Java,
Central Java and East Java.

Soetardjo also suggested that political parties at the
national level should not interfere in gubernatorial elections.
"Let the locals and the provincial legislature decide. They know
what is best for themselves," he said.

Meanwhile Minister Hari Sabarno questioned the validity of the
administrative court's ruling, which he said was issued hastily.

"You should check yourselves whether or not the ruling is the
result of political maneuvers by certain parties. The case was
heard in the morning, and the verdict was handed down in the
afternoon. How can a decision be made that quickly?" he was
quoted by Antara as saying.

He said that prior to making a decision, the administrative
court should have summoned both the plaintiffs and suspects. "But
in this case, the court directly handed down a ruling," the
minister said.

Despite the court ruling and mounting opposition from the
public, the minister said he would press ahead with the swearing-
in of the governor-elect.

"A minister is the servant of the president. Therefore I must
do what she has already decided," he said.