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