House endorses bill on general elections
House endorses bill on general elections
JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives endorsed on Monday
the general election bill, which will become the basis of
establishing a new, "independent" general election commission
(KPU).
In a plenary session presided over by House Deputy Speaker
Soetardjo Soerjoguritno, all the House's 10 factions, except the
Crescent Star Party (PBB) faction, agreed on the bill.
"The bill was agreed to by all the factions, with the
exception of the PBB, which still did not approve it," Soetardjo
said before knocking his gavel.
He questioned why the PBB had changed its stand on the bill,
since it had earlier expressed approval for the bill in the
House's Commission for legal domestic affairs.
The bill states the new general election commission will
consist of 11 members, compared to the current commission which
has 48 political party representatives and five government
representatives.
The bill requires that the 11 members be independent,
nonpartisan and free of influence from certain people, groups or
political parties.
PBB's faction spokesman Darmansyah said on Monday that his
faction disagreed with the requirement that commission members be
nonpartial.
"In the United States, members of political parties can be
members of its general election commission, as long as the people
are credible with good reputations," Darmansyah said.
The passing of the bill effectively closes any hope for the
continued existence of the current commission, which presided
over last year's general election.
KPU's acting chairman Agus Miftach rejected the bill endorsed
by the House, saying it was illegal because its formulation did
not involve the current commission.
"The current KPU is the one which has a right to propose the
bill," Agus said.
He said the KPU would react strongly if the bill, which will
revise the current Law No. 3/1999 on general elections, was
approved by the President.
Agus did not elaborate on what kind of action the KPU would
take.
Minister of Home Affairs Surjadi Soedirdja said if the
President approved the bill the current KPU would automatically
be replaced by the new one.
"The current KPU cannot reject a law," Surjadi said after the
session.
Monday's plenary session also agreed to revise laws No. 45 to
No. 55/1999 on new regencies, suggesting councils of new
regencies should be filled according to the results of last
year's general election.
The PBB faction disagreed with these revisions as well, on the
grounds that no study had been conducted to prove that the new
regencies are not ready for local elections.
PBB only has 13 legislators in the House.
The current election commission, which is dominated by minor
political parties, has repeatedly said it would like to conduct
separate local elections for new regencies. (jun)