Independent poll watchdog claims to have 18 branches
Independent poll watchdog claims to have 18 branches
SEMARANG (JP): The controversial independent body which intends to monitor the 1997 election claimed yesterday that it had opened branches in 18 major Indonesian cities.
Andi Arif, a member of the Independent Election Monitoring Committee (KIPP), said that since being set up on April 15, the body has been overwhelmed by positive public response.
"In only two weeks' time we have opened branches in 18 cities in 11 provinces," Andi told The Jakarta Post.
He added that none of the three contestants, Golkar, United Development Party (PPP) and Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), will be able to refuse because the public demands it.
Among the cities represented are Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Semarang, Salatiga, Surabaya, Denpasar, Banda Aceh, Ujungpandang, Palu and Manado.
The watchdog will officially start work next month when the government begins registering voters, Andi said.
But in Surakarta, activists have already started listing rules that Golkar has already broken. He did not say whether the PPP or the PDI had also violated any rules.
Coordinator of the Surakarta activists, Priyo Wasono, said he had investigated reports that government officials had illegally mobilized students to attend a recent rally featuring Golkar chief Harmoko.
He said a village chief in Surakarta has promised to ease the issuance of farmers' land ownership documents if they promised to vote for Golkar.
"Recently, the mayor of Surakarta ordered residents to write the city's official slogan Solo Berseri (Surakarta shines) on a background of "Golkar Yellow", warning people that otherwise, they would be considered anti-government," he said.
The poll watchdog was set up in defiance of the government's warning that it was "unconstitutional" because the law recognizes only the official Election Supervision Committee.
Andi rebuffed political observer Amien Rais's proposal that activists of the independent watchdog and government officials sit together to see if they can compromise.
He argued that such talks would only create the impression that the watchdog had been coopted by the government and thus it would lose credibility.
"In what capacity did Amien Rais propose his idea? I don't think these talks are necessary," he said.
Chaired by former Tempo editor Goenawan Mohamad, the independent poll watchdog has also received widespread support from university teachers.
Marwoto Kusumopradono, coordinator of the private universities in Central Java, stressed he had no authority to stop lecturers from joining the independent committee.
"I personally support this, because it is a form of public participation in the supervision the general election. Its activists should concentrate on how to meet public expectations," he said. (har/pan)