KPU dismisses parties' call for repeat election

KPU dismisses parties' call for repeat election

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The General Elections Commission (KPU) turned down on Monday a
demand for a nationwide reelection by a score of political
parties contesting the legislative election.

KPU chairman Nazaruddin Sjamsudin said that the political
parties failed to come up with a strong case, as they could only
cite a small number of irregularities in polling stations.

"If they (political parties) can only bring forth violations
of election regulations in some polling stations or at the local
level, do we need a nationwide reelection?," Nazaruddin said,
referring to the demand made by 19 of 24 political parties
contesting the election.

The demand, he said, had also been a standing insult to the
public, who had participated in the April 5 election in a
peaceful and transparent manner.

Nazaruddin said the parties' demand stemmed from the fact that
they had failed to garner substantial support from voters.

"The political parties should act in accordance with a number
of standing regulations. For instance, they should file their
complaints on the election result with the Constitutional Court,
rather than resorting to such an unpopular move," he said.

Spearheaded by former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid's
National Awakening Party (PKB), the parties rejected on Sunday
the legitimacy of the legislative election and demanded a
nationwide reelection, citing rampant vote-rigging.

On Monday, 21 political parties, not including President
Megawati Soekarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
(PDI-P), Golkar and the upstart Democratic Party, renewed their
call in rejecting the validity of the legislative election.

The group dismissed any criticism directed toward them that
said they had betrayed the people's aspirations while making the
demand. "On the contrary, we are striving to channel the people's
aspirations, which have been hijacked due to rampant vote-
rigging," Adi Sasono of the Freedom Party told a media briefing
here.

Interim Coordinating Minister for Political and Security
Affairs Hari Sabarno said the political parties should have
followed formal procedures in venting their resentment.

"People have made their choice and if these parties disliked
how it has turned out, then they should complain to the people,"
Hari said.

Leader of the United Development Party (PPP) Hamzah Haz, also
vice president in the Megawati administration, said that his
party had yet to decide its stance on the election result.

"Ballot counting is not over yet, so what's the fuss all
about? We should refrain from misleading the people," he said.

The country's largest Muslim organization, the Nahdlatul Ulama
(NU), also expressed dismay at the political parties' latest
move, saying that it could disrupt the upcoming direct
presidential election and plunge the country into deeper crisis.

"We oppose the parties' move, as it could trigger crisis in
the country's leadership. It's simply unwise," NU chairman Hasyim
Muzadi said.

Hasyim called on the political parties to take legal action on
irregularities that had taken place during the election.

However, he dismissed a notion that his stance on the issue
had anything to do with his tacit rivalry with Gus Dur, who was
also a patron of PKB.

"With or without Gus Dur, we would still be saying that
rejecting the validity of the legislative election is not
acceptable," Hasyim said.

A number of leading scholars and human rights activists, led
by Todung Mulya Lubis and Munir, called the demand a political
adventure by members of a political elite, who denigrated the
people's sovereignty.

"The lack of transparency in the election as perceived by the
political parties should be responded to with a limited
reelection or limited recounting," a joint statement signed by 15
people says.