KPU completes ballot count
KPU completes ballot count
Moch. N. Kurniawan, Jakarta
The General Elections Commission (KPU) wrapped up on Tuesday the
manual ballot counting for the House of Representatives members,
after which two parties decided to file lawsuits with the
Constitutional Court over the results in East Java electoral
district 10 and West Irian Jaya respectively.
KPU member Rusadi Kantaprawira, chairman of the manual ballot
counting, said the commission would announce the results and the
seats of parties in the House, the Regional Representatives
Council (DPD), provincial legislatures (DPRD I) and
regental/municipal legislatures (DPRD II).
"Tomorrow we will learn which party got 3 percent of the seats
in the House or 5 percent of the vote as the minimum requirement
to nominate presidential and vice presidential candidates,"
Rusadi said.
He was speaking to reporters after a limited meeting with
political party representatives on the election results in Papua,
West Irian, the Riau islands and North Sumatra electoral district
2.
Under the Elections Law, the KPU has to announce the results
30 days after the elections, which means May 5 at the latest.
Based on a simple calculation from the votes announced by the
KPU, Golkar is likely to win the elections with 125 seats in the
House, a slight increase from 118 seats in the 1999 elections.
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) is likely
to rank second with 108 seats, a drastic fall from 151 in the
1999 elections.
The third position is likely to be grabbed by newcomer the
Democratic Party with 58 seats, with the United Development Party
(PPP) closely trailing behind with 57 seats.
Seven parties -- the Pancasila Patriots' Party, the New
Indonesia Alliance Party (PIB), the Regional United Party (PPD),
the Social Democratic Labor Party (PBSD), the Indonesian Unity
Party (PSI), the Indonesian Nadhlatul Community Party (PPNUI) and
the Freedom Party -- are unlikely to obtain any seats in the
House.
Meanwhile, the National Awakening Party (PKB) has decided to
file a petition with the Constitutional Court over election
results in East Java electoral district 10 covering, among
others, Sampang and Bangkalan.
The Prosperous Peace Party (PDS) also plans to file suit over
the election outcome in West Irian Jaya.
South Nias Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu)
chairwoman Murni Riang Wau refused to accept the election results
in North Sumatra electoral district 2, saying it was marked up by
Pioneers' Party members to increase the party's votes from around
12,000 to 55,000.
Rusadi said the KPU would not change the outcome and would let
the parties take legal action.
He also said valid votes for the 2004 legislative election
stood at around 113 million, while registered voters exercising
their rights were about 127 million people.
Some 148 million people registered as voters in the April 5
legislative election.