KPU OKs councillors after rigged election

KPU OKs councillors after rigged election

JAYAPURA, Papua: An alliance of 20 political parties that
participated in the April 5 legislative election in Mimika, Papua
protested the recent inauguration of 25 councillors for the
Mimika regency legislature, saying it was against Decree No.
44/2004 issued by the General Election Commission (KPU).

The 20-party alliance objects to the councillors because the
KPU already declared that vote-rigging took place in the regency,
and thus the "elected" legislators were illegitimate.

Marthen Maturbongs, spokesman for the party alliance, said in
a press conference here on Friday that the councillors'
inauguration on Nov. 12 was apparently justified by Revised
Decree No. 89, which, however, did not have the approval of Papua
Governor Jaap Solossa.

"The Mimika regent and the KPU provincial chapter in Jayapura
should be held responsible for the recent appointment of the new
councillors," he said, explaining that Mimika now has a total of
50 councillors, because the 25 old councillors elected in the
1999 general election have not officially left office yet.

The KPU branch in Mimika has already been dissolved because of
vote-rigging in the April election. (JP)