Independent candidates barred from polls

Independent candidates barred from polls

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Constitutional Court ruled on Tuesday against a possibility
for independent candidates to contest regional elections, saying
it would discourage efforts to help political parties mature.

In its verdict, the court judges unanimously agreed that Law
No. 32/2004 on regional administrations was consistent with the
Constitution in requiring candidates to win support from parties
in order to vie for top executive posts in regencies,
municipalities and provinces.

The ruling was passed at the expense of the Freedom Bull
Nationalist Party (PNBK) and Regional Representative Council
member Biem Benjamin.

In its motion, PNBK said the law was unconstitutional,
especially due to article 59, section 2, which says that
candidates for governors or regents be nominated by a political
party that has at least 15 percent of the seats in the respective
local legislature, or had secured at least 15 percent of the
popular votes in the previous election.

The court hearing was presided over by deputy Constitutional
Court chief Laica Marzuki, representing chairman Jimly
Asshiddiqie, who is currently in Moscow.

The verdict was unanimously agreed upon in an earlier meeting
on May 19 attended by chairman Asshiddiqie as well as judges
Laica Marzuki, H.A.S. Natabaya, Achmad Roestandi, Harjono,
Mukthie Fadjar, I Dewa Gede Palguna and Maruarar Siahaan.

In a separate session, the court rejected a request filed by
DPD lawmaker Biem Benjamin for a revision of the same law, which
prevented him from running for governor last year.

But Biem said the verdict would not discourage him.

"Hopefully, the political system in Indonesia will change in
the future," Biem, a son of the late comedian Benjamin, told
reporters. He added that he had not considered joining another
political party so they could nominate him. (004)