JP/5/PILKADA

JP/5/PILKADA

Candidates gear up for June elections

Oyos Saroso H.N.
The Jakarta Post/Bandarlampung

Candidates vying for top posts in the direct elections for heads
of regional governments in Lampung province are confused over
which political party to register with, as each party has its own
screening process.

The complicated recruitment process had also motivated the
candidates to register with several parties, as there is no
guarantee that the party of their choice will accept them as a
candidate for the June elections.

Bandarlampung municipal secretary Sjachrazad Z.P., for
example, has registered himself with the Justice and Prosperity
Party (PKS), the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P)
and the Democratic Party. Sjachrazad, the younger brother of
Lampung Governor Sjachroedin Z.P. is also planning to register
with the Golkar Party.

The selection process conducted by political parties, which
has been seen by many as reformist and untarnished, has been
criticized recently.

The criticism has mainly been aimed at PKS, which has over the
past two weeks begun the screening process for the position of
Bandarlampung mayor. The selection process is open to non-party
candidates. The names of each candidate for mayor and deputy
mayor will be placed in the media after they pay a registration
fee of Rp 2.5 million (US$280.00). They will then be evaluated by
the public and eventually selected by a committee of 2,000 PKS
members in an election they call the Grand Election.

Despite giving the impression of being transparent, the
procedure has received harsh criticism from various circles.

Former Democratic People's Party (PRD) activist Andi Arief,
said that PKS had lied to the public because they had already
decided on a candidate from within the party.

"If they already have their own internal candidate, why are
they asking for registration fees from outsiders? It's sheer
deception. Besides, the ones determining the outcome are the PKS
members themselves," said Andi.

Head of the PKS selection committee, Heri Mulyadi, refuted
Andi's claim. According to him, the transparent selection process
would accommodate the aspirations of the public at large to
select the right candidate. Each stage of the recruitment process
will be done responsibly, said Heri.

Unlike PKS which requires candidates to pay Rp 2.5 million for
the registration fee, the Democratic Party charges Rp 5 million
for potential candidates.

According to chairman of the Bandarlampung branch of the
Democratic Party, Gafriyanto, the higher registration fee was to
discourage people from registering who were not serious about
running in the election.

Although a bylaw on the elections is still pending, the
Lampung General Elections Commission (KPU) has decided on June
27, 2005, as the date for the direct regental elections in
several regencies in Lampung.

Two municipalities and three regencies will elect their
respective heads on that day. They are the municipalities of
Metro and Bandarlampung, and the regencies of South and East
Lampung, and Way Kanan.

The election campaign may show more restraint than the
campaigning during the past direct legislative and presidential
elections.

In the past elections, legislative candidates and the success
teams of presidential candidates distributed cash, banners,
posters and calendars. Current candidates are adopting a
wait-and-see policy.

Even though banners, posters and the like will still be used,
the amount will be far less than the previous elections.

According to the political adviser to one of the candidates
running for the post of Bandarlampung mayor, Mahendra Utama,
candidates do not wish to spend excessively on such things until
they are certain to be named a party candidate. "They also don't
want to be cheated by the parties," he said.

Lampung KPU chief Suwondo said that the commission would
assist KPU offices in municipalities and regencies to prepare for
the direct elections. Voter registration is slated for March next
year, and names of candidates must be submitted by respective
parties in April, while the campaign period is set for May, 2005.