House endorses 11 new KPU members

JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives (DPR) endorsed on Wednesday 11 new members of the General Elections Commission (KPU) who are expected to be installed by President Abdurrahman Wahid in the near future.

The new members, who have been selected by the House Commission II on home and legal affairs, were unanimously endorsed by all 11 factions during a House plenary session.

Deputy House Speaker Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno, who presided over the plenary session, assured the 11 KPU members' independence, evaluated by a fit and proper test applied to 22 candidates earlier proposed by the government.

"The commission II sought approval from the House's consultative body (Bamus) before proposing the candidates to the plenary session. And through this session, we approved the 11 KPU members," Soetardjo said.

The new members are Mulyana W. Kusumah, Ramlan Surbakti, Anas Urbaningrum, Dan Dimara, Rusadi Kantaprawira, Imam B. Prasodjo, Nazaruddin Syamsuddin, Chusnul Mar'iyah, F.X. Mudji Sutrisno, Hamid Awaluddin and Valina Singka Subekti.

They will be installed to replace the election commission's 53 previous members, mostly representing the 48 political parties that contended the 1999 elections.

The replacement of the election commission members, charged with maintaining the institution's independence and ensuring free and fair elections in the future, was held in line with an ongoing review of the 1999 political laws.

Meanwhile, the Independent Election Monitoring Committee (KIPP), called on the KPU's new members to review the electoral system so that only legitimate legislators will be elected in the 2004 general election.

KIPP chairman Standarkiaa said the proportional representation system that has been applied since 1955 should be replaced with a district representational system because it has been found to be ineffective in selecting legitimate legislators.

"The House of Representatives' credibility has been under fire because its members are more loyal to their own political parties than to the people who cast their votes.

"And they (the legislators) feel they have no obligation to be accountable for their performance to their constituents because of their parties' dominant role in appointing their cadres in the legislative body," Standarkiaa said here on Wednesday.

He said the House's credibility, which rests much on its members and their professionalism, could be repaired if the district system is applied at the next general election.

Standarkiaa said the election commission should also make preparations to select political parties to contend the next elections.

"KIPP supports the selection of parties to contend the next elections. But the election commission must be strict in enforcing the electoral threshold, which is regulated by the law," he said, adding that the number of parties contending the 2004 elections should be less than the 48 participating in the previous elections.

Separately, Mulyana W. Kusumah called on the House and the government to speed up the review of political laws and set comprehensive regulations on general elections, including the election commission.

He said the quality of the next elections would depend, not only on the election commission's independence, but also on the electoral system and laws.

"The People's Consultative Assembly should include the district system and the bicameral parliamentary system in the Constitution, while comprehensive regulations on elections and the commission's responsibility should be inserted by the House in the review bill on elections," he said.

He said that, in addition to being partial, the previous KPU members had breached regulations they had issued. (rms/dja)