KPU to form more electoral districts

JAKARTA: The General Elections Commission (KPU) agreed on Tuesday with the House of Representatives (DPR) proposal to form electoral districts in the planned 24 new regencies and municipalities.

KPU deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti said, however, the commission would not establish new regional elections commissions (KPUDs) in those regencies and municipalities.

The electoral districts map for the 24 new regencies or municipalities will be announced early December, to give political parties the chance to decide upon their legislative candidates.

Ferry Mursyidan Baldan, chairman of the House committee deliberating the formation of the regencies, said on Tuesday that the KPU had to heed the House's demand because people in the regencies would elect members of regional legislatures (DPRDs).

The committee members and the home minister are completing bills that will establish the new regencies.

Ferry said there had been a series of closed-door meetings between representatives of the committee and the government at the Hilton Hotel in Jakarta from Nov. 14 through Nov. 16.

The legislators had earlier proposed that the legislatures in the new regencies would be formed based on the composition of votes won by political parties in the 1999 elections, in their regencies of origin. -- JP