KPU government representatives thrown out of meeting
JAKARTA (JP): Political party representatives on the General Elections Commission (KPU) removed two government representatives from the commission's plenary session on Wednesday.
The two government representatives had suggested separately on Tuesday that KPU members from parties which had failed to gain 2 percent of the vote, or 10 of the 462 seats in the House of Representatives, in the general election should no longer be allowed to sit on the commission.
Lawyer Adnan Buyung Nasution and Andi A. Mallarangeng, two of five government representatives on the KPU, said outside the meeting they regretted they were not given the chance to clarify their statements.
"It was a personal view which I can account for from a legal and political point of view," Andi said.
Andi said on Tuesday parties which failed to garner 2 percent of the vote in the general election would not be eligible to contest the next general election and therefore should no longer be allowed to sit on the commission.
While the 1999 law on elections stipulates political parties which fail to gain 2 percent of the seats in the House of Representatives are not eligible to contest the next elections, there is no explicit rule dealing with party representatives on the KPU. The commission will continue its work until 2004.
Provisional results as of Wednesday revealed little progress compared to Tuesday. Only four out of 48 contestants had gained over 10 seats with PAN still just nearing the threshold with nine seats. The four were the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) with 65 seats, the Golkar Party with 30 seats, the National Awakening Party (PKB) with 30 seats and the United Development Party (PPP) with 14 seats.
Andi and Adnan were asked to leave the plenary session, which was called to discuss reports of elections violations. The topic of the session, presided over by KPU chairman Rudini, turned to the possible dismissal of the two government representatives from the commission.
KPU members, particularly those from parties which are not expected to win 2 percent of the seats in the House, pressed Rudini to convey their demand that the two be removed from the commission to President B.J. Habibie.
Guaranteed
The Indonesian People's Party's (Pari) KPU representative, Agus Miftah, said no individual or institution had the authority to annul representatives' memberships in the commission because their presence was guaranteed by the law on elections.
There were, however, differing views. Indonesian Workers Party (PPI) chairman A. Harahap said his party would recall its representatives on the KPU and the National Elections Committee. As of Wednesday, PPI had not won any seats in the House.
Rudini, the MKGR Party's representative on the KPU, said he would not mind stepping down from the commission after gaining confirmation that his party failed to win at least 10 seats in the House.
"Why would I be persist in staying on the commission if my party doesn't get the minimum number of seats," he said. Based on provisional results, MKGR Party has not won any seats in the House.
The National Mandate Party's (PAN) representative on the commission, Hasbalah M. Saad, agreed, saying he would resign from the KPU if his party did not meet the legal requirements.
He said he was dissatisfied with many of the KPU members from smaller political parties because they were not committed to the work of the KPU.
"They will create disturbances if they continue to sit on the commission," he said.
By 10:30 p.m. the results issued by the General Elections Commission for the House of Representatives showed that frontrunner PDI Perjuangan had gained 22.1 million votes, followed by Golkar Party with 11.3 million votes and PKB with 10.9 million votes. PPP came fourth with 6 million votes and PAN came fifth with 4.1 million votes. (rms)