KPU must be firm on repolling: KIPP

JAKARTA (JP): A leading poll watch activist said on Sunday that demands to repeat the polls should be carefully examined.

The official Election Supervisory Committees at the national, provincial and regional levels should closely scrutinize the demands, and decide whether repetition of polls were absolutely necessary, secretary-general of the Independent Election Monitoring Committee (KIPP) Mulyana W. Kusumah said.

He said demands to repeat the polls have grown stronger and have been aired in at least 46 regencies in the 12 provinces, and that more were expected.

Mulyana said the General Elections Commission (KPU) and the National Elections Committee (PPI) should not capitulate to the demands.

"KIPP calls on the KPU and PPI not to easily relax the regulation to hold the polls again because this could ruin the whole electoral process," he said after a media conference.

The North Sulawesi provincial elections committee decided to rehold the polls and the Jakarta provincial elections committee has announced all ballots would be recounted.

Mulyana reminded poll officials the election law stipulated that in the event that regional, provincial, and national election committees could not decide on poll results, decisions were to be taken by a higher level committee and the KPU. A commission executive said on Saturday the polls could be repeated, or ballots could be recounted if discrepancies could not be resolved.

Mulyana said the law also authorized the official Election Supervisory Committee to investigate the validity of reasons cited by commission members, provincial and regional committee members to refuse to sign the results within seven days of the polls. The official poll watchdog should then issue a "final and binding" decision.

"So far KIPP is not aware whether the Supervisory Committee is carrying out its role," Mulyana said in a statement.

On Sunday, KIPP also revealed its provisional results in which Golkar was trailing second with 21.4 percent of votes of which it had counted, leading the National Awakening Party (PKB), which had ranked second in the vote tally in the past few days.

According to KIPP's results -- in which 31.16 million or 26.45 percent out of some 117 million votes were counted -- PKB had 12 percent of the vote, while the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) was leading with 34.5 percent of the vote.

As of 10:30 p.m. on Sunday KPU's website revealed PDI Perjuangan so far had 13.2 million votes, followed by the National Awakening Party (PKB) with 6.6 million and Golkar with 5.7 million votes.

Golkar was leading in Central, Southeast and North Sulawesi, Central and West Kalimantan, Bengkulu, Jambi; and was second only to PDI Perjuangan in South Sumatra, West Java, Yogyakarta, Bali, West and East Nusa Tenggara, and East Kalimantan.

Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung promised on Sunday to take defeat gracefully, to congratulate Megawati Soekarnoputri whose party looks set to win the polls, and get ready for his party to be an "effective opposition."

Akbar, Antara reported, claimed his party had also built a "network" with the United Development Party (PPP) and National Mandate Party (PAN) in the hope of forming a coalition.

"If Megawati becomes the next president... then Golkar will join forces with others," he added.

"I and other Golkar executives have launched a 'silent operation' approaching a number of parties (for a coalition)."

"We are also seeking a possible coalition with other parties including PKB... there's no differences in our ideology."

PAN leader Amien Rais has refused to form a coalition with Golkar, saying it would be a betrayal of his principles.

Akbar maintained that Golkar's presidential candidate remained incumbent President B.J. Habibie. Should there be a coalition, it would be possible only with parties that support Habibie, he said. "But with our vote earning, we'll see how far we should struggle to nominate Habibie."

"I am happy enough even if we win only 30 percent of the vote," he said. "That is proof enough that Golkar still has strong support among people, despite being disparaged by others."

He also conceded sharp declines in Golkar's vote earning in areas which are traditionally considered Golkar strongholds. "We will study why this is so, to prepare for the 2004 poll."

Akbar's deputy chairman Marzuki Darusman said in an interview aired by SCTV that the next government should be one that concentrates on national unity. He said if Megawati becomes president, reform and democratization would proceed.

If Megawati did not take the presidency, the public and her supporters would find it easier to accept candidates other than Habibie, he said.

Marzuki has since the beginning opposed Habibie's nomination, and openly championed Gen. Wiranto, the commander of the Indonesian Military and minister of defense.

Though leading, PDI Perjuangan is not expected to garner enough support to govern alone, setting the stage for weeks and even months of political haggling ahead.(byg/swe)