Jostling for seats

Jostling for seats

Although the lists of candidates for the national legislature
have been submitted to the Indonesian Electoral Committee by the
three contesting parties, lobbying by candidates and party
activists goes on. The bickering involves issues of nepotism,
faction interests and other expressions of dissatisfaction from
those whose names are not on their party's candidate list, or are
entered too far down on the list to ensure a position in the
legislature.

Every time general elections draw near, such cases emerge. For
the public it is as if the three contestants are staging a show
of the selection process. In the final list of candidates, the
disposition of those who are involved as well as the state of the
democratization process that prevails are reflected.

The lists are now being processed by the Electoral Committee
to be screened for administrative defects. At the end of October
this process will be completed and a tentative list of candidates
will be made public. The public will be given sufficient time to
raise objections against any of the candidates. Aside from the
question of whether or not such objections will be heeded, this
will be an opportunity for the public to participate in
determining the quality of the candidates whose names have been
submitted.

-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta