KPU rapped for accommodating late applicants
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The General Elections Commission (KPU) and its regional offices (KPUDs) are copping public criticism for accepting revised candidature documents after the deadline and thereby undermining the commission's credibility.
Independent Election Monitoring Committee (KIPP) executive director Ray Rangkuti said on Tuesday that the poll watchdog found political parties had violated the Monday 4 p.m. deadline in many places, without punitive measures from elections commissions.
KIPP volunteers noticed that the regional elections commission in the North Sumatra regency of North Tapanuli allowed 12 political parties to submit revised documents up until 10:18 p.m., more than six hours after the deadline.
"Even in East Nusa Tenggara, the provincial KPUD is allowing the National Mandate Party (PAN) to present documents of its legislative candidates up until Jan. 26," Ray said.
He added that in the West Java regency of Karawang, the local KPUD accepted revised documents from two rival executive boards of a party, but such a case was unacceptable in the West Nusa Tenggara regency of West Lombok.
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Social Democratic Labor Party (PBSD), the Indonesian Unity Party (PSI), the United Democratic Nationhood Party (PPDK) and the Democratic Party only managed to hand their documents to the KPU up to 10 minutes after the deadline.
"Such a practice should not occur," Ray told a press conference.
Later in the day, KPU member Anas Urbaningrum, who chairs the team verifying legislative candidates, said he would check KIPP's reports, particularly the case in East Nusa Tenggara.
"Well, we did not specifically instruct KPUDs to close their offices for the submission of the revised documents at 4 p.m. on Monday," Anas said.
He disclosed that there were attempts by some parties to submit names of additional male legislative aspirants to the KPU, but said the commission would definitely not accept the extra candidates as it violated the general election regulations.
He refused to identify the political parties, or to discuss the commission's promise to take punitive measures against them.
The election regulations bans any party from registering extra candidates after the deadline, except for women candidates in accordance with the recommended 30 percent quota for women.
Anas dismissed reports that the number of legislative candidates had declined due to revisions made by the 24 parties to their list of candidates,
He said the figure had increased instead, as some parties had added the names of women legislative aspirants.
The Democratic Party has added another eight women legislative candidates, the Prosperous Justice Party 2, the Crescent Star Party 14, the Concern for the Nation Functional Party 7, the Reform Star Party 42 and the Prosperous Peace Party 58.
Ray urged the KPU to immediately give the public access to information about legislative candidates to help them identify and know them better.
"This will make it easier for people to choose their legislative candidates," he said.
Parties have no obligation to publicly disclose their legislative candidates, who will be announced by the KPU between Jan. 28 and Jan. 29.
During the April 5 general election, voters will punch a party symbol and the name of one candidate nominated by the party. The ballot is still valid in the case of only the party symbol being punched.