Independent KPU assures good governance: Observers

Independent KPU assures good governance: Observers

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesia requires an independent elections commission to
promote good governance and prevent money politics, members of
the International Electoral Management Bodies said during a
seminar here on Thursday.

Visiting members of the international organization said an
independent elections commission should not include a role for
the government because that would create conflicts of interest.
They also said monoloyalty to the commission was the norm among
its members.

The speakers at the seminar were members or former members of
general elections commissions in their home countries. Gothom
Arya of Thailand, Jose Woldenberg of Mexico, Brigalia Bam of
South Africa and T.S. Trishnamurty of India were invited to share
their experiences during the seminar, jointly organized by the
Centre for Strategic International Studies and the International
Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.

"In my country, up until 1988 the government was responsible
for the running of general elections. But since we found some
violations, including against the principle of impartiality, had
taken place, we established a fully independent commission in
1999," Woldenberg said.

Brigalia Bam said the entire recruitment process for the
election commission members in South Africa was conducted by the
commission to maintain its freedom from the interests of
political parties and the government.

"We ourselves interview the candidates for the commission. We
determine the recruitment system and choose who fits the seats in
the commission.

"Our people do not believe that government officials or
ministers can organize general elections without losing their
loyalty to the ruling party," Bam said.

There has been much debate in the House of Representatives
over the government's intention to maintain the tradition of
appointing the secretary-general of the General Elections
Commission (KPU). The House has unanimously agreed to keep the
government out of the commission.

Observers have expressed fear that the government's
involvement in the KPU will cost the commission its independence.

The 17 members of the commission were selected by the House.

The KPU is widely regarded as powerless since it failed to
bring to court violations committed during the 1999 general
election, despite accounts from the public that almost all of the
political parties contesting the elections committed offenses.

The current electoral law threatens punishments ranging from a
ban on contesting the next elections to the dissolution of
parties for violations. The House is debating a new bill to
replace the 1999 electoral law.

A group of non-governmental organizations and minor parties
filed with the Supreme Court last year their accounts of
violations committed by the Golkar Party during the least
elections. The legal action, however, failed.

"In my country, there is a constitutional court which has the
authority to try election violations and decide penalties for
errant parties," Gothom said.