KIPP says frustated minor parties delaying results
JAKARTA (JP): The provincial Independent Election Monitoring Committee (KIPP) stated on Thursday that many Jakarta chapters of minor political parties were determined to delay the poll counting process here following their poor showing in the provisional results.
KIPP Jakarta chairman Yopie Renyaan said representatives of the minor parties had demanded many ballot recounts, and in some areas forced local committees to repeat polling. He said the parties were desperately trying to obtain even a single seat on the city council.
"By slowing down the poll process, the minor parties are looking for another chance to possibly obtain more votes if the general election is re-run," Yopie told The Jakarta Post at the Aryaduta Hotel, Central Jakarta.
He said the failure of the Jakarta Provincial Elections Committee (PPD I) to decide on Thursday whether or not the city should hold another poll was a strong indication of the minor parties success in carrying out their mission.
Yopie urged the parties, especially their executives, to also consider the high "economic and political cost" should the city have to repeat the polls.
"We also observed that vote discrepancies and other irregularities in the city are mainly the result of human error (and are) not so substantial (that we need) to re-run the polls," he said.
According to a tentative national schedule, vote counting in all provinces, including Jakarta, should have been completed by Thursday.
But due to various reasons, particularly counting problems at the mayoralty and district levels, as well as protests from minor parties, the count has not yet been completed. Recounting in Jakarta will only be started on Saturday.
PPD I is also expected to announce on Saturday a decision on whether registered voters here must return to the polling booths.
Sharing KIPP Jakarta's position, Governor Sutiyoso separately suggested on Thursday that all political parties try their utmost to avoid a rerun of the poll.
"I've repeatedly said that all political parties should accept the poll result, because it has been held in a just and fair manner, even though their parties do not win the polls," he said at City Hall.
In Jakarta, a vote recount and poll re-run have also been demanded by 32 minor parties of the 48 parties which contested the recent general election. The parties have claimed instances of vote discrepancies and other irregularities.
Many of the party representatives have revealed their findings to the media, but have been unable to furnish evidence of the alleged violations.
On Tuesday evening, the parties decided to recount the ballots through a random sampling mechanism in order not to disturb the ongoing recount process at district levels.
The parties are "too reactive and emotional... that sometimes causes difficulties for us who work at the grassroots level", said chairman of the Central Jakarta elections committee M. Mukson.
On Tuesday, the minor parties also agreed to welcome nonelectoral party members into their grouping. A representative said the individuals would mainly act as controllers and counterparts for the city administration or the city council after the polls.
"We haven't determined the final form of the group, it could be like a nongovernmental organization or a think tank group," said Muchamad Taufik from the Justice and Unity Party.
The Election Law stipulates that parties which can not obtain at least 2 percent of the House of Representatives seats, or at least 3 percent of the total seats at the provincial legislature or regency legislature level are barred from participating in the next general election.(ind)