House to set up team to monitor KPU action
House to set up team to monitor KPU action
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The House of Representatives Commission II agreed on Monday to
set up a monitoring team to supervise the performance of the
General Elections Commission (KPU), including the ongoing
procurement tenders.
The establishment of the monitoring team was decided during a
hearing between the commission and KPU members amid public calls
for the KPU to be transparent in tender processes.
"We demand the KPU conduct tenders transparently, based on
regulations, without collusion, corruption and nepotism. And to
make it work, the commission will carry out intensive supervision
on election preparations (including the tenders)," Commission II
deputy chairman Abdul Rachman Gaffar of the Military/Police
Faction said.
During the hearing, a number of legislators, including Agun
Gunandjar Sudarsa of the Golkar Party, Haryanto Taslam of the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, Sayuti Rahawarin of the
Ummat Sovereignty Faction and Tjetje Hidayat Padmadinata of the
Indonesian National Unity Faction called on the KPU to set up a
working committee to probe any irregularity allegations.
The KPU has come under fire due to alleged non-transparent
tender processes, particularly the tender of a Rp 324 billion
ballot boxes procurement.
It has allotted more than Rp 1 trillion for tenders on the
provision and procurement of information technology
infrastructure, ballot boxes, voter registration cards and ballot
papers.
Two weeks ago, the KPU announced Survindo Consortium the
winner of the tender for ballot boxes for next year's elections,
but a number of losing competitors claimed the KPU did not carry
out field checks at all factory networks of the winning
consortium.
They also alleged that Survindo was not an aluminum product
company as required, but a printing and publishing firm.
Survindo says the allegation are baseless and they met all KPU
requirements as an office and warehouse goods provider.
KPU said there was nothing wrong with the tender process.
However, it was forced to carry out the field checks following
the allegations.
KPU member Daan Dimara said it had finished its field checks
and concluded all the factories qualified for providing aluminum
ballot boxes.
The KPU is likely to announce Survindo as the definitive
winner of the tender.
Agun Gunandjar said after the hearing that he was disappointed
with the commission's decision to set up a monitoring team
instead of a working committee.
According to him, the House monitoring team would be too weak
to supervise the performance of the KPU.
But Panda Nababan of PDI Perjuangan said the commission should
put its confidence and respect in the KPU members with their
credibility and integrity.
Besides the monitoring team issue, the commission also said
that it would finish the establishment of 24 new
regencies/municipalities across the country on Nov. 20.
Abdul Rahman called on the KPU to rearrange the electoral
districts map in those new areas and to allow them to set up
legislative bodies after the 2004 elections.
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The House of Representatives Commission II agreed on Monday to
set up a monitoring team to supervise the performance of the
General Elections Commission (KPU), including the ongoing
procurement tenders.
The establishment of the monitoring team was decided during a
hearing between the commission and KPU members amid public calls
for the KPU to be transparent in tender processes.
"We demand the KPU conduct tenders transparently, based on
regulations, without collusion, corruption and nepotism. And to
make it work, the commission will carry out intensive supervision
on election preparations (including the tenders)," Commission II
deputy chairman Abdul Rachman Gaffar of the Military/Police
Faction said.
During the hearing, a number of legislators, including Agun
Gunandjar Sudarsa of the Golkar Party, Haryanto Taslam of the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, Sayuti Rahawarin of the
Ummat Sovereignty Faction and Tjetje Hidayat Padmadinata of the
Indonesian National Unity Faction called on the KPU to set up a
working committee to probe any irregularity allegations.
The KPU has come under fire due to alleged non-transparent
tender processes, particularly the tender of a Rp 324 billion
ballot boxes procurement.
It has allotted more than Rp 1 trillion for tenders on the
provision and procurement of information technology
infrastructure, ballot boxes, voter registration cards and ballot
papers.
Two weeks ago, the KPU announced Survindo Consortium the
winner of the tender for ballot boxes for next year's elections,
but a number of losing competitors claimed the KPU did not carry
out field checks at all factory networks of the winning
consortium.
They also alleged that Survindo was not an aluminum product
company as required, but a printing and publishing firm.
Survindo says the allegation are baseless and they met all KPU
requirements as an office and warehouse goods provider.
KPU said there was nothing wrong with the tender process.
However, it was forced to carry out the field checks following
the allegations.
KPU member Daan Dimara said it had finished its field checks
and concluded all the factories qualified for providing aluminum
ballot boxes.
The KPU is likely to announce Survindo as the definitive
winner of the tender.
Agun Gunandjar said after the hearing that he was disappointed
with the commission's decision to set up a monitoring team
instead of a working committee.
According to him, the House monitoring team would be too weak
to supervise the performance of the KPU.
But Panda Nababan of PDI Perjuangan said the commission should
put its confidence and respect in the KPU members with their
credibility and integrity.
Besides the monitoring team issue, the commission also said
that it would finish the establishment of 24 new
regencies/municipalities across the country on Nov. 20.
Abdul Rahman called on the KPU to rearrange the electoral
districts map in those new areas and to allow them to set up
legislative bodies after the 2004 elections.