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)