Jakarta voters no longer need PDI: Political observer

Jakarta voters no longer need PDI: Political observer

JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta's voters have declared they no longer
need the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), a political observer
said Saturday.

Arbi Sanit of the University of Indonesia was responding to
the possibility that PDI would not have a seat on the Jakarta
Council.

He said PDI's absence would harm the party, as it would not be
able to carry out programs or affect policies, but not the
electorate.

"It would not be a problem for people because they have
already given their votes to other contestants. Voters do not
need PDI anymore," Arbi said.

However he said he was sure PDI would have a representative on
the council, even though it was only one.

"The parties could make a deal to give away their extra votes
to PDI. But the deal should be approved by all three
contestants," Arbi said.

He said by having only one council seat, PDI would not have
representatives on the council's commissions, and would only be
entitled to sit in on the council's plenary sessions.

Deputy chairman of the United Development Party's (PPP) city
branch Saud Rahman earlier said he rejected the idea of such a
deal.

"If there should be a deal, there's no point in holding a
general election," Saud said.

As of 7 p.m. Saturday, PDI was more than 24,000 votes short of
a seat.

Thus far it had 100,020 votes, the PPP, 2,106,265 and Golkar
2,843,137 votes.

Each council member represents 124,223 of the city's 7,453,416
voters.

The parties were vying for 60 of 75 council seats, the other
15 are reserved for ABRI members who do not vote.

Currently Golkar has 31 seats, PPP 15 seats, and PDI 14. Of
the 353 candidates for seats, PPP had 119, and Golkar and PDI
both fielded 117. (ste)