KIPP says frustated minor parties delaying results
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)