KPU rejects reelection demand but parties remain adamant

The Jakarta Post Jakarta

The General Elections Commission (KPU) turned down on Monday a demand for a nationwide reelection by a score of political parties contesting the legislative election.

KPU chairman Nazaruddin Sjamsudin said that the political parties failed to come up with a strong case, as they could only cite a small number of irregularities in polling stations.

"If they (political parties) can only bring forth violations of election regulations in some polling stations or at the local level, do we need a nationwide reelection?," Nazaruddin said, referring to the demand made by 19 of 24 political parties contesting the election.

The demand, he said, had also been a standing insult to the public, who had participated in the April 5 election in a peaceful and transparent manner.

Nazaruddin said the parties' demand stemmed from the fact that they had failed to garner substantial support from voters.

"The political parties should act in accordance with a number of standing regulations. For instance, they should file their complaints on the election result with the Constitutional Court, rather than resorting to such an unpopular move," he said.

Spearheaded by former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid of the National Awakening Party (PKB), the parties rejected on Sunday the legitimacy of the legislative election and demanded a nationwide reelection, citing rampant vote-rigging.

On Monday, 21 political parties, not including President Megawati Soekarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Golkar and the upstart Democratic Party, renewed their call in rejecting the validity of the legislative election.

The group dismissed any criticism directed toward them that said they had betrayed the people's aspirations while making the demand. "On the contrary, we are striving to channel the people's aspirations, which have been hijacked due to rampant vote- rigging," Adi Sasono of the Freedom Party told the press here.

Interim Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Hari Sabarno said the political parties should have followed formal procedures in venting their resentment.

"People have made their choice and if these parties disliked how it has turned out, then they should complain to the people," Hari said.

Leader of the United Development Party (PPP) Hamzah Haz, also vice president in the Megawati administration, said that his party had yet to decide its stance on the election result.

"Ballot counting is not over yet, so what's the fuss all about? We should refrain from misleading the people," he said.

The country's largest Muslim organization, the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), also expressed dismay at the political parties' latest move, saying that it could disrupt the upcoming direct presidential election and plunge the country into deeper crisis.

"We oppose the parties' move, as it could trigger crisis in the country's leadership. It's simply unwise," NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi said.

Hasyim called on the political parties to take legal action on irregularities that had taken place during the election.

However, he dismissed a notion that his stance on the issue had anything to do with his tacit rivalry with Gus Dur, who was also a patron of PKB.

A number of leading scholars and human rights activists, including Todung Mulya Lubis and Munir, called the demand a "political adventure" by members of a political elite, who denigrated the people's sovereignty.

"The lack of transparency in the election as perceived by the political parties should be responded to with a limited reelection or limited recounting," a joint statement signed by 15 people says.

The provisional tallies so far "are enough to show us that the elections have functioned as a means for the people to correct those in power," the statement said.