KPU hindered by absence of population data

KPU hindered by absence of population data

JAKARTA (JP): Latest data on the country's population was
still unavailable to the General Elections Commission (KPU) as of
Tuesday, causing a further delay in the allotment of legislative
seats.

Commission members acknowledged they failed to file their
request for the information with the Ministry of Home Affairs
early enough to give the ministry time to gather the data. The
ministry had promised to deliver the data on Tuesday.

The allocation of the seats is at a stalemate, Adnan Buyung
Nasution, KPU chairman of subcommission B for organization and
laws, said. "We're trying to push the Ministry of Home Affairs to
give us the data. The deadline is Wednesday."

The law on elections stipulates that the KPU is responsible
for determining the number of seats in the legislature, both at
the national and regency levels.

However, data on district populations, considered the most
accurate information to calculate regency populations because of
the fast expansion of districts, was not yet available.

Commission members earlier had used data from the 1997
election which was based on 1995 statistics. However, the home
affairs ministry said 11 newly established regencies must be
included with the existing 316 regencies. The commission, forced
to redetermine the allotment of legislative seats, decided to
base its calculations on the latest population figures.

"KPU won't take the chance of being blamed if there is a
miscalculation," Sjafuddinsyah of the Love Peace Party (Partai
Cinta Damai) said.

The allotment of legislative seats for East Timor will be
discussed separately. In the past, the province only was allotted
four seats given its small size and population.

On Monday, Director General for General Administration and
Regional Autonomy Ryaas Rasyid said it was up to the commission
to decide whether the province of 800,000 people would be
allotted 13 seats, or one seat for each of its regencies.

Sjafuddinsyah said some KPU members felt allotting 13 seats to
East Timor would be unfair, compared to Irian Jaya, for example,
which has 2.5 million residents but only will receive 12
legislative seats.

"If the government does not give us further instructions, we
will have to give East Timor 13 seats according to the law on
elections," Sjafuddinsyah said.

The commission also ruled that political parties should name
other parties which with they would share undivided number of
seats before election day on June 7.

The commission also ruled on the use of wooden ballot boxes
instead of transparent boxes. "Constructing wooden ballot boxes
will add to people's income," KPU chairman Rudini said.

While the controversial proposal of providing each of the 48
political parties contesting the general election Rp 1 billion
has not been settled, Rudini said each party would receive Rp 150
million this week, the same amount of funding the government gave
parties contesting past elections. (edt)