House endorses 11 new KPU members

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)